This is our GSI Mail Box inwhich the BG fans and visitors to this web site can publish
all sorts of questions, suggestions and things you'd wish to share with us.
Many questions we personally answer to you in fact are interesting for all fans to read.Of course we always first ask for your permission to publish!
So write us at: marion@brothersgibb.org, mentioning in the subject of your mail: MAILBOX, and we'll try to help you a.s.a.p.

(Marion GSI).

Letter from Patrick L. to GSI

A couple of months ago I moved to the Redcliffe peninsular where the Bee Gees grew up. In fact their childhood home is only 4 streets away.
Last week we saw an old interview on YouTube with Barry Gibb where he told the story of how they were shoplifting as kids.
But they decided this had to stop if they were to be taken seriously as musicians.
So they took three pen knives they had just stolen and threw them off our local jetty.
He said that was a defining moment and a turning point for them. From that story I wrote this poem a few days ago. I hope you like it.

Here is the link to the interview which inspired the poem. We saw the Bee Gees family home on this clip and with only the smallest amount of detective work found out where it is.
It was almost eerie to find it only a short stroll from our home. The pen knife story kicks in at the 4:35 mark.

Videos by The Gibb Collective
October has been a special Gibb Collective month.

The Gibb Family honored the Bee Gees Legacy with a tribute album. The rich musical legacy of the Bee Gees and their brother
Andy Gibb continues to entertain millions of fans across the globe, and this year the next generation of Gibbs started a project honoring the
Gibb music with new interpretations of classic songs. Spearheaded by Maurice's daughter Samantha and producer Lazaro Rodriguez.
At the start of the project Sam Gibb announced: "We are very excited to share this collection of songs with everyone, especially long time fans of our fathers' music.
This has been an amazing experience with our family working together to create something really special."
They released their first album and used the whole month of October to spread the word of their project as well as paying extra attention to the
Gibb music by posting a large number of articles, video teasers and video clips. Amongst others a collection of 14 videos where they very kindly and honestly answer many fan questions.
Below you can watch again the 14 videos but be sure to regularly visit the Gibb Collective chanel on youtube and the facebook pages of GSI and Gibb Collective to stay fully updated of all activities.

Yes It Will Take PLace!
The Bee Gees/Gibb Meeting Will Take Place This Year !
on the 28th of October in The Hague!
Where: Jazz and Blues Societeit Engels
Address: Koningin Emmakade 4-5 B 2518 RJ The Hague
The entrance fee is €12.50 per person
To begin with, we have 2 rolls per person and 3 drinks, coffee, beer and the heavy drink (alcohol) is on your own account!
Eric van Veen has opened an account where payment can be made!
This account number is NL02INGB0656067438 and on payment please mention the Bee Gees / Gibb meeting 2017 The Hague!
As always, we have a corner where people can exchange and sell duplicate CDs and discs etc.
And what matters most is that we are all having a great and enjoyable afternoon. The meeting will take up till 7 o clock, and after that, we can get into the City of The Hague and enjoy our Dinner !
Enjoy and hope to see you on the 28th of October in The Hague Greetings Eric van Veen and Fred Kaarls fred.kaarls@hotmail.com

Hi Marion / GSI
I just had a conversation with Dick who very kindly said I should speak to you about PP Arnold's Heritage album that is due for release
6th October.. Barry wrote and produced half of it amongst some incredible artists as you can see from the press release:
Just wondered if you could give it a mention on your web page??

BEE GEES BOOKS
All over the world people wrote and still write books about The Bee Gees.
At the moment there are plans for several new books ofwhich we mention a few here below from Switzerland, USA, Italy and Britain/Australia.
More details when available. Marion / GSI

Switzerland, Germany, Austria
* From Switzerland GSI was recently contacted by a well known publisher. The company releases material in mainly Switzerland, Germany and
Austria and has serious plans of releasing a new book about Bee Gees / Barry Gibb.

USA
* In the USA our Anne Jakowenko has been busy for a while compiling her very own version of a Bee Gees book.
Anne: 'This book IS NOT a biography. It's a novel with the Bee Gees success story woven in.
They are a huge part of the book and they "advise" my main character as she goes through her trials and tribulations of her life.
I am about 2/3 finished with the editing of my book and then I have to give it to my editor in NY.
I will send it to Barry before releasing and plan to release it somewhere this Fall if possible. .
I hope people will read the Mission page on my blog (https://morobinbarrystories.com/my-mission/ ) to see that the majority of proceeds will go to the Bee Gee charities.'

Italy
* From Italy GSI received a mail some time ago from a musical journalist about her book plans. (part of the mail):
'My name is Roberta Maiorano and I am an Italian music journalist. Since a few years I am writing music biographies with a certain satisfaction and this year - on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Fever - I managed to get by my editor to write a book on my beloved BEE GEES.
I found your site (BROTHERSGIBB.ORG) really interesting and well done.!!
I ask you a rather large favour: I would love to include some personal photos of yours.
It would be nice to use some of your photos taken during the tours or during the holiday times of the Gibbs with family or in the studio, with a promise to mention your name and your website site with each photograph!
I will save for you the first copy of my book.
There is no official title yet but a working title at the moment is: Stayin Alive
It should be ready for release in autumn 2017.
The publisher is Arcana, It is famous in Italy.
I hope you can help.
Roberta Maiorano Fabbri.'

Britain/Australia
A new book in the make by Mark Crohan and Andrew Mon Hughes.
It handles about the early years, still before the big Bee Gees successes started in Britain.
It's about: The Fabulous Bee Gees, The Australian Years.
www.facebook.com/beegeesaustralianyears/

Marion / GSI. April - 2017

Hi Marion
My name is Sindy. I am trying to find out if there were any photos taken of
The Bee Gees performing at the Greek Club in Brisbane, Australia in the
1960's.
My husband was playing the piano accordion. His name was Leon Kurylo. He was
either 17 or 18 years of age at that time and one year older than Barry.
We lost him in 2014 to depression when my son was 18. It would be great to
have a photo of him with the Bee Gees to give to my son.
I am grasping at straws here, so I do understand if it's impossible or no
photos were taken of the back ups or support group.
Hoping in anticipation
Regards
Sindy Kurylo/ Fernandez

Hi Marion
As I was just about to put up for auction an original song demo by Barry Gibb that was given to me back in the late 60s,
a friend sent me your email address as he thought you might be interested in the back story etc.

In brief:
1967 my school friend and I featured on Granada TV and subsequently were offered a recording contract with Major Minor records (in London).
At that time we were introduced to Ossie Byrne (record producer) who, we discovered, worked with the Bee Gees.
In Autumn 67 we travelled from Liverpool to stay with Ossie in his Gloucester Road flat, while we put down all of our songs.
We got to meet with Maurice Gibb and on a couple of occasions went with him, in his blacked out Mini Cooper,
to The Speakeasy Club, to meet up with Robin Gibb, George Harrison and Ringo.
I believe that they were talking about sharing an orchestra for an upcoming tour with the band (Grapefruit) being managed by Apple records,
or maybe it was just to put Grapefruit on the same tour? As you can imagine we were half listening to the conversation with all the hustle and bustle and mini skirted girls in the club!
I remember that Maurice was amused at our goggle-eyed fascination.

In 1968 at age 19 we moved from Liverpool to a flat in London to begin recording.
The record company gave us a few demo songs to consider, one of them being a Bee Gee song entitled 'YOU' which was recorded solo by Barry with his acoustic guitar.
Being singer song writers and only 18/19 we couldn't understand why we had to sing somebody else's song so didn't chose Barry's (more fool us)!
Though somewhat aged it is still playable and could be a unique item. I don't remember hearing it on any of the Bee Gees albums.

We didn't get on so well with Ossie and asked for another producer. We were delighted to come under the wing of Vicky Wickham
(producer of Ready Steady Go) and eventually recorded our own material and got to write for a few other artists.
However we tired of the direction the label wanted us to go (to become 'me too' Paul & Barry Ryans) - so we grabbed a coach to Oxford,
crashed with a friend who was at one of the colleges and formed a band.

Footnote:
Soon After, I went back to Art College and completed my degree. Ultimately set up my own design business which brought me into working with Hollywood studios.
Set up a TV production company (with my old school friend) and created & produced several international TV series (for which we also produced the music).
We continue to develop dramas, comedy and kids shows.

In the late 90s I bumped into Maurice outside the Rihga Royal (New York) and managed to say a brief Hi.
It was pouring with rain and we were both trying to get a taxi but managed a giggle at the recollection of our meeting at the Spreakeasy.

Bruce Springsteen, ColdPlay and now Mahmood Khan cover BEEGEES Stayin AliveThe world's most celebrated song gets covered by Australian World music Artist

SYDNEY, Australia - March 6, 2017 - Stayin Alive was released in 1977 and became one of the biggest songs in the history of recorded music.
Mahmood Khan joins an impressive list of Artists like Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay who have covered this song.
Khan was born in a village in Pakistan but that did not stop him from pursuing his dream of a career in the recording industry.
Luck came knocking when he was able to get US visa that brought him to Los Angeles where he found work as second engineer in a Black music production company.
Within a few years he was writing, producing, recording and mixing with some of the biggest and most talented names and acquired wealth of inside industry
knowledge in genres ranging from Funk, Hip Hop, folk, Qawali, Country, Bluegrass, Gypsy and the Mariachi sounds.

Hi Marion,
I write for the BBC News website and I'm hoping you might be able to help with a feature I'm writing.
I've been speaking to a miner here in south Wales who says the BeeGees turned up at the coal mine where he was working in early 1967 to film a promotional video for New York Mining Disaster 1941.
I've watched the video on YouTube, but am unable to say for definite if the mine workings shown are those of the one in question.
Would you know, or be able to find out, which mine it was they filmed at?
I'd be grateful for any help you can give me!
All the best,
Rhiannon

Marion/GSI:
Of course I have asked around in Florida and Britain however not much memory was there about a visit to the mine and unfortunately also The Gibbs have no original film material of a visit there.
Vince Melouney wrote me telling he could remember visiting a mine back then.
Recently BBC sent me the link to the final article which they published, with some mentioning of The Bee Gees of course.

Hello again,
Here's the link www.bbc.co.uk
Thank you for all your help.
Rhiannon

October 2016

In The Now, Barry Gibb's latest solo album.
GSI gives you the lyrics, the story of the album and the meanings of the songs.

September 8th. 2016 it was time for the 5th annual Young Society of Love & Hope's Haute Tea, benefitting the Diabetes Research Institute. The event was held at the St Regis Bal Harbour Resort.
Anne Jakowenko was invited to write reports and to take photos of the event which we love to share with you on GSI.
Click here for Anne's stories: https://morobinbarrystories.com

Gibb Girls...Crusaders for DRI, Stacy Gibb-More Than a Beauty and Sublime Tea Time

Photos and story by: Anne LaValle Jakowenko

BOOTLEG BEE GEES - BARRY GIBB BIRTHDAY - ISLE OF MAN

Hi Marion

I'm contacting you on behalf of our tribute band, Bootleg Bee Gees.
We will be celebrating the 70th birthday of Barry Gibb on Thursday 1st September with a special tribute show at the Studio Theatre, Ballakermeen High School, Douglas, Isle of Man.
The theatre is located in the school on St Catherine's Drive, which as you probably know is the street where the Gibb Brothers were raised until 1955, prior to their move to Chorlton, Manchester.
The band will be performing two sets of all the classic hits, plus a rendition of Ellan Vannin, the unofficial Isle of Man anthem.
The theatre manager, Steve Brooks, has been very helpful with organising the event and we hope it will be a big success and do the great man proud.

A few more details about our tribute band - I began singing Bee Gees songs with my two older brothers, Andrew and Steven. All huge fans of the Bee Gees, we played all the old 60s songs at local functions - our favorites being To Love Somebody, Massachusetts, I've Gotta Get a Message To You, and New York Mining Disaster.
When we started the actual Bootleg Bee Gees act, my brother Steven played the role of Robin and I played Barry. We don't work through a manager and mostly book shows through various agencies or by ourselves.
As we learned more about the history of the Bee Gees we realized a few coincidences. Aside from being three singing brothers - I found to my surprise that Barry's wedding anniversary (and birthday) is on the same day as mine.
My brother Steven sadly passed away in 2014. He died rather touchingly, on the first of May. In the hospice, just before he passed, he regained consciousness briefly, and his wife switched on the CD player.
Songs from Here At Last... the Bee Gees Live played and my brother's last act was to sing a few words along to I Started a Joke.
As I say, we really enjoy your Facebook page and hope to keep in touch in the future.

'During my recent visits to Germany I regularly had very nice talks with Vince about his life in Britain now and his musical plans.
At the moment Vince is touring with The Italian Bee Gees ( Europe, Australia) but in the months before he has been very busy working on his new album.
An album with Bee Gees compositions but all with new arrangements by Vince. During the tour he's now doing, the audience already can hear some of these new arrangements of the Bee Gees songs he once performed being a Bee Gee himself.
The tour he is now part of is the Massachusetts show: a tribute to the Bee Gees music and the audience every night is very enthusiastic to see Vince on stage performing some
BG melodies alone and together with the Egiziano Brothers.

Vince on stage

In between touring this year he plans to finish his album in London and then will release it as soon as possible.
So let's hope we'll hear more about this new material when he's touring again next year.
Another project and nice plan of Vince is bringing to life again some old compositions he once (1977) recorded on a simple cassette recorder together with Barry Gibb at Barry's home on The Isle Of Man.
Vince told me one is a slow and the other one is a more up tempo song and he likes to record and release the material and might perform it with The Egiziano Brothers in future.
We surely will hear lot's of more about Vince the coming time.
GSI will keep you posted'.

The Way It Was,
Titanic Live Concert, Siegen February 13th.
The planned concert for this day has been postphoned.
(Keep an eye on GSI website for more information in May about Titanic)
I had a chance to visit Siegen and speak with some fans as well as to meet Dwina and Robin John Gibb and spent some time with
Blue Weaver and his wife again who had also decided to visit Siegen like me and my husband.
Lucky for all fans Dwina and RJ took some time to spend with the fans for taking photos, signing autographs etc.
Blue had brought a special musical recording with him which he wanted to let us hear and together with Dwina and Robin John we listened to it. It were some very emotional minutes specially for the Gibb family.
It was a recording of: 'The Way It Was'....... performed by Robin Gibb!!
A very nice weekend for us although there was no concert yet.We'll come back to see the Titanic Live Concert for sure!!

The Bee Gees - The Australian Years
New Bee Gees book is coming soon..... by Mark Crohan and Andrew Mon Hughes.
Sign up for the newsletter and keep updated!
http://stereo33books.com

April 2016

'Seminal Bunbury Tales'
Below is the direct link to my 'Seminal Bunbury Tales' sample extracts on Kindle. The work is already in top ten bestsellers this Xmas, on the basis of the preview works alone. -
I think David English's 30th Anniversary year of Bunbury Cricket Club will be very special indeed!
Stephanie Lynne Thorburn.
www.amazon.co.uk

December 20th. 2015

Book by Bee Gees Bandmember: Dennis Bryon
From behind the drumkit to the top of the charts: The backstage story of the Bee Gees.

With worldwide sales of over 220 million records, the Bee Gees are the sixth-best-selling music artists in history.
Dennis Bryon's story of how he became the Bee Gees' drummer during their peak period offers many never-before-told tales about such infectious hits as
"Stayin' Alive," "How Deep Is Your Love," and "Night Fever." From Dennis's beginnings in a Welsh band to his crucial role in the superstar group,
You Should Be Dancing reveals unforgettable stories of his encounters with many famous musicians, including the Bee Gees themselves, Andy Gibb, Michael Jackson,
Jimi Hendrix, and Olivia Newton-John. Illustrated with Bee Gees photographs and ephemera, Bryon's memoir takes Bee Gees fans and music enthusiasts alike on one of the wildest rides in pop history.

May 18th. 2015 (Thanks Kayte and Dennis Bryon)

Blue Weaver was with Dennis Bryon and Alan Kendall the Bee Gees Band in the most successful period of The Bee Gees.
He did work with many more artists and was part of lots of other groups too and still is very active in the music business.
He has been guest performer for 3 years already in the big Massachusetts Show in Europe with the Italian Bee Gees. A show which tells the story of the legends: The Bee Gees.
This is a recent interview with Blue:

This Indie electro acoustic guitar comes with a padded case. Signed by Barry on the evening of his O2 Mythology Tour date.
Guitar donated to support the Henley YMCA casuals learning disability Football (soccer) team. In which Maurice Gibb's nephew is a player.
Offers from £300 will be considered, ideally based in the UK for safe dispatch. Please contact me for further information or if you have any questions.

Keyboard Magazine Interview with Doug Emery and Ben Stivers
(source: from Keyboard magazine, copied by Doug Wilson for The Words Mailing List, including comment on Words Mailing List from Joe Brennan)For those of you who may not have seen it, there is a nice interview with
Doug Emery and Ben Stivers in the December issue of Keyboard magazine. I'll
transcribe the highlights, minus the technical questions concerning the gear
they use on stage:

Q: Blue Weaver was on keyboards for the iconic Bee Gees tunes. In digging
back through this music, what did you discover about him?Ben Stivers: He's more responsible for the sound of their music than maybe
he gets credit for. It's his harmonic vocabulary, especially on a song like
"How Deep Is Your Love," with its Rhodes part and all those extensions. The
way Barry plays the chords on his guitar, he doesn't have a lot of major
sevenths; there's not a lot of sus chords. It's much more triadic. So all
that color and flavor, that's all Blue. All that disco stuff - "Night Fever", "More Than A Woman" - that's all him.Q: In accessing the catalog and prepping this tour, how did you guys split
the keyboard duties?Doug Emery: Ben and I have worked together a lot. So, because we've done
other tours together, we kind of have a system.BS: It's a rare thing for a keyboard player to find. I only know maybe one
or two other guys that I like playing with, because most of the time you get
stepped on. We're not used to playing with other keyboard players
necessarily. And it's difficult to find a guy like Doug that is both
harmonically and texturally aware - sonically aware. On the Di Blasio gig,
there were times in the show where he'd be just talking and we'd improvise a
background, so we developed a vocabulary between the two of us. I know he's
not going to jump all over what I do and that he's going to leave me space,
and vice versa.DE: The other thing is, neither one of us is trying to prove anything at
this point. We've done this together long enough; I don't need to prove
anything to Ben, and that helps.BS: If we're out to prove anything at all, it's how good to make the whole.
I don't want to stick out, but I want people to go, "Holy crap, that was amazing what you guys did!"Q: What stands out about when you first started working with the Bee Gees?DE: Interestingly, they weren't that into retro sounds. It's be a trend
now for 20 years at least. But because they lived through it, it just
sounded old to them. So especially when I first started, they weren't all
that interested in having authentic Rhodes or analog synth sounds - they'd
done that already. Now that's kind of changed because the imitations have
gotten better. [Barry Gibb] realizes that it doesn't sound old - it sounds
like the song.BS: Right. One thing that changed in terms of distributing parts is that
when I did the gig when Maurice Gibb was still alive, he would play piano
and strings on a lot of stuff.Q: How was Maurice as a piano player?BS: He was great. He played all the parts. He knew the songs. He was
really good because there are a couple of tricky tempos, especially on songs
he starts alone. And singers get really particular about the cadence of
lyrics. It may feel right to you, but it took me a minute when I first
started taking over those duties to really feel where some of the songs need
to sit. For example, "Lonely Days" has tempo changes and that's all me. It
used to be all Maurice. He knew what it was supposed to feel like.Q: What songs are your favorites to perform?BS: "How Deep Is Your Love" is a great song. I get to play the Rhodes
part. Back in the day I could get decent phasey tremolo Rhodes. The sound
that I have now is pretty darned close. I really dig it.Q: Is it an internal sound, or are using effects pedals?BS: No, the effects are all internal. I'm using a plug-in phaser and a
plug-in tremolo. It just works.DE: Ben is really good with that stuff in his hands. I think some guys
using the plug0in thing, it would be like you're making some sort of
compromise. Ben's really good at dialing in sounds.BS: Right back at you. . There are other songs I like just because the
parts are so rhythmic: I really like "Guilty." That's a killer Richard Tee
Rhodes part on that. And I like playing "One." It's a little more
mechanical. It almost sounds like Scritti Politti.DE: I think for me, because it's a killer tune and I just think it's
beautiful, we do a song called "With the Sun in My Eyes." It's just me and
Ben and Barry, and it's just gorgeous.BS: On the record it was Mellotron, I think. But Doug does it on real
strings and he's kind of elaborated the part into some really pretty
orchestral stuff. There's a lot of moving lines. It's pretty amazing what
he's done with it.DE: And Ben brings in the horn stuff so it's really nice. It's a really
beautiful moment of the show.Q: What about the funkier side of things?DE: I love "Jive Talkin'." I'm playing the Wurly on it. And I'm playing
the synth line, and I love that sound.BS: I get to play the bass.Q: Since there's a bass player for the show, what happens during the parts
when you play synth bass?BS: On that tune, the gig existed before I got it, and we actually double
the part - we play the same thing, leaving space for each other to play
fills. There's another song in the set, one we hadn't been playing:
"Nights on Broadway." In the 20 years I played with Barry, he'd never done
it. It's very high, very taxing on his voice. We decided to pull it out
because Fallon and Timberlake had been parodying it. So it's back and that
also has synth bass. I started goofing around with that but the bass player
got that Electro-Harmonix pedal, the bass synthesizer. It's not really a
synthesizer, it's an envelope filter and an octave. But he was able to get
really close to the sound on the record.Q: And what do you do during that song?BS: I do piano. There's a fairly busy piano part. If you listen to the
record of that, the piano on it is hard-compressed and bright. So I have a
compressor when I call up my piano sound. Once again, one of the buttons on
my NanoKontrol kicks in a compressor and a bit of EQ to make it that bright
kind of rock aggressive sound. It's subtle but it makes a huge difference.DE: I think that's been another discussion in the band: It's easy to make
some of the stuff a little too pretty. So that's been a big point of
discussion. How do we make this a little less "soft rock"?BS: The old records are not that quantized and not that slick. And that's
the beauty of it. It's rock music.Q: What is it like working with Barry Gibb?BS: He's the best cat ever.DE: I've really come to care for the guy, and I have to say, it's been
really great to see him accepted. There's a resurgence of respect for what
he has done.Q: He must fell amazing, seeing the response.DE: He's gotten overwhelmed at times.BS: It's been more than any other gigs that I've ever done with him or
anybody else: just the emotion of it. He's able to be really vulnerable.
It's really raw. I've played with acts that were bigger at the moment or
maybe had hits at the moment and crowds that were maybe more crazy or nuts,
but I've never felt this level of empathy and emotion. It's pretty amazing.

Comment from Joe Brennan concerning Blue Weaver.
Blue does not boast about himself but he still managed to make a few
remarks while speaking to us at a Bee Gees convention that suggested he was
very well involved in arranging and somewhat involved in writing. He did
mention that the instrumentation on Tragedy is almost entirely him with
some guitar from Alan. What Stivers and Emery say about the writing fits
well with what Blue hinted at. Particularly, How Deep Is Your Love, which
from the songwriting tape placed in evidence was Barry and Blue working
together. One wonders what deals were made to keep important Bee Gees songs
credited to B R & M the way Stigwood liked it. (I know, a few album cuts
varied.)
Albhy's dismissal of Maurice was based partly on stars in his eyes about
Barry but also on Maurice's reduced abilities from alcoholism at precisely
the time Albhy worked with the group. If you knew nothing pre 1975 and
walked in then, you would well wonder what Maurice was doing there besides
sipping vodka from a Perrier bottle. Others who worked on albums with
Maurice, earlier and later, would say how very involved he was in the
studio. But not in those Albhy years.
Barry's writing with Blue is interesting because Blue seemed to step into a
role Maurice played, which was to inspire Barry with bits of melody and
work with him on developing it. Not that Barry can't write by himself but
that Barry liked some back and forth with somebody else while working. Key
point though-- Barry decides what stays in the song. He's in charge.
One other point inspired by that article. Listen to Robin's distinctive
piano playing at the start of Days of Wine and Roses, a style that had
hardly changed in the 40 years since he did the Black Diamond demo (Odessa
reissue). And then listen to the intro of Lonely Days! It's Maurice for
sure, but that little up and down thing he's doing makes me wonder if he
heard Robin playing some early version of it.

December 2014

Vince Melouney's Help For Hope

Vince: 'I am in Dungog at the moment, Dungog is a Beautiful small historical town in the upper Hunter Valley, northern NSW,
working on new material and recording and as Christmas is not too far away, I am asking you to consider buying a song or two off my website.
I am trying to raise money for the Nepal Orphans Home, one resident in particular, her name is Hope,
she is only a child and if you read the story on my website you will find that she has no feet which came about through Horrific circumstance.

In the pic she has cheap prosthetics but she will be needing them for the rest of her life. I have made this plea before but the response has been disappointing,
the tracks are only $1.69. Please check out my website and read about Hope and help. There will be more songs going up on my site very soon. Thank You'.

I keep receiving so many questions as to why there wasn't much cooperation in the years between Mo's passing and Robin's death and what is true about Barry's ear problems etc.

We all know that Barry wasn't up to doing much working for quite some time after the shocking experience of losing another brother (Maurice) in 2003.
After several years some plans were made for doing projects and performances now and then, however we all know there were very few.
At first one of the reasons had been the fact that Barry didn't feel like doing much in music after the tragic loss in his family (with the help of wife Linda, finally after quite some years Barry realised he just had to start again doing performances etc.)
There were other reasons too,
Barry sufferered from an ear problem with lots of pain for quite some time already, flying was a problem and it also was impossible for him to perform on stage any longer then a few minutes, so concerts weren't possible at all. They prefered to keep the situation low profile and not mention it in any news article. (so I didn't). In Spring of 2011 he had surgery for that. Meanwhile Robin was already suffering from his illness around 2010 / 2011. When in 2012 Barry finally was feeling better, Robin's condition was getting worse and he died in Spring of that year.
It really is a pity that a cooperation in the end wasn't possible anymore.
We still hope for new Robin material to be released soon and we are happy that finally Barry realized he should continue in music and go on performing, to keep the legacy alive of their Bee Gees music.
For the future we hope that he will also release new material.

Marion / GSI, July 2014

Maurice and Robin Gibb - a long time ago
Thanks to a facebook friend of mine, an old friend of The Brothers Gibb: Peter Foldy
I regularly receive exclusive old photo material which I'd love to share with you all. (Marion/GSI)

Peter Foldy:
"Here are some screen captures from an old 8mm film recently transferred to DVD by me Pictured are Maurice and Robin Gibb, along with Trevor Gordon, Peter Foldy and Colin Stead.
The film was shot in a Sydney park in the mid 60s."
Colin Stead is an old friend of both The Bee Gees and Vince Melouney and still in touch with Vince today and living in Sydney."

FYI Music News write about Mo's old friend Peter Foldy:
'70s teen idol Peter Foldy scored back-to-back hits in Canada with "Bondi Junction" and "Roxanne" before moving to the US and creating a a successful career for himself writing and directing for TV and movies. Next month he releases Nine Lives, an album of new material excepting "a hipper" remake of "Roxanne".
He is also in the midst of raising funds for a docudrama he scripted about a group that The Beatles' Apple Corp. championed. "It's quite a story. I couldn't quite believe it myself, but then Paul McCartney corroborated what I had," Foldy confides.

Marion / GSI, July 2014

Dear Marion:
I have a lot of boring and technical work to do today so I decided to ease it revisiting some of my Bee Gees collection of CDs, cassettes, the vinyl of "Guilty" and some digital tracks.
I don't know how I stumble upon your site but here I am procrastinating but with high quality content. I only wish to say you "thanks" for all these dedication to the Bee Gees memory.
I was born in Cuba in 1963. I lived all the disco craze full time as a teenager, very near and very far away to the core of it all.
Very near because I was in the proper age to live it at full, because we all Cuban teenagers were surrounded and submerged in the Bee Gees mania by these times and because, living in Havana,
we were so near to Miami that we listening directly the East Coast AM radio stations and in good spring and summer times we heard also the Florida FM stations,
so we danced and lived directly the very Bee Gees craze post-Saturday Night Fever film.
And at the same time I was very far, far away from the craze because it was unimaginable to us that the film were released in the very radical
Cuba of these years and economically and politically impossible to have access to the LP or cassette original records,
so we pass one to another third and fourth generation copies of almost smuggled records imported from Europe or Latin America
by the very rare and fortunate pal parents which for work reasons were allowed to travel abroad.
They all were well surmoned by their teenager kids that the second most important thing they could brought form abroad, after a radio-casstette player, should be music records, mainly Bee Gees and ABBA music.
Although Cuban radio programs dedicated to the young public were involved in the craze due to sheer demand, it was not the ideal programming that station directors were asked for from their superiors.

The only moving image of Bee Gees we had seen by these years was their performing of "My World" in an Italian prime time musical show that the government concede was "showable" to the national youth.
I also still remember as if it was right now, the night when the radio announcer of my favorite AM radio program, introduced a new song, ANOTHER new song from Bee Gees and it was "Living together"
and I was appalled by the magnificiency of the harmony -both vocal and orchestral- of the piece. I remember also the first time I heard radioed the famous pair
"Wind of Change/Nights on Broadway" from the "At Last..." live album and I we were at the beach waiting for the bus to come back and I asked my pals
"Are those also the Bee Gees?" and then my already high admiration reached the levels it only could reach in teenage times.
You should know that in Cuba, like in most Latin American countries, a very important date is the 15th birthday of a girl (is the personal/individual equivalent act of a High School Graduation Ball in USA).
Their parents save money for years for this moment and this is a two part celebration. On first part of the day, girls celebrates the day with their parents,
changes new clothes every two hours and the girl is pictured by a BBC photographer (an amusing denomination playing with English BBC and hispanic
"Bodas, Bautizos y Comuniones" (Wedding, Bautisms and First Communion) photographers -"I work for the BBC"-) for her longlife lasting 15th Birthday PhotoAlbum.

On the night part of the day a big party is held (high school friends prepare sumptuous dancing choreographies, mixing -these days- the best of Cuban rythm sense with the best of funky and disco music).
For practical and scholar reasons (it was a looong day for the girl) 15th birthdays parties were sistematically moved to the saturday nearest to the actual birthday.
In these years there was no discothéques in Cuba so the main course for partying was these parties.
And by these years (1978-1979) all the girls of my same age were celebrating their "quinces" (fifteens) so I was living in a continuous saturday night parties roster. In the peak years of Bee Gees fame. You can imagine.
Life continued. Bee Gees craze passed and I entered in the University. It was Michael Jackson and Madonna years but I become touched by Bee Gees forever.
In the nineties I emigrated to Spain and finally I was be able to buy the Bee Gees albums, but then I have nobody who dance with so I listened to them alone,
once in a while, meanwhile a infamous techno music was destroying the rythmical and melodic sense of Spanish people.
Maurice and Robin died as well Roger Wright of Pink Floyd (the other group that gave form to my lifelasting love of music).
I have been in a lot of rock star concerts but I never saw live Bee Gees or Pink Floyd. Is a little thorn I guard in my intimacy.

And today I decided to listen Bee Gees again and I don't know how I arrived to your page, but I just want to say thank you telling you this little story.

Thanks again,
Rolando S. Buenavilla
Bee Gees fan.

Marion / GSI June 7th. 2014

A Story Behind A Photo

Story by: Cheryl A.History Part 3 - Jack and the Beanstalk - the photo was actually taken in Brisbane at the Rialto Theatre, West End Brisbane. I'm one of the dancers in the chorus line.

Hi Marion,
Sorry don't have any other photos, and wish I did, and the autograph book I had with their signatures was stolen at another Panto I was in the following year, alas, but I do have a story to tell.
I was lucky enough to be chosen amongst the dancers to appear in Ric Marshall's Production of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' being performed at the Rialto Theatre, West End in Brisbane.
The Giant was played by Dick McCann (a Channel 7 children's celebrity named Beanpole, in Brissy) and The Bee Gees performing during the show. I used to spend time with Barry,
Maurice and Robin under the stage where there was a rope swing mounted to the rafters. I mainly spoke with Maurice as he was closer to my age.
We would talk and hang out between shows. One day the matinee show was cancelled and so with nothing to do until our evening performance, we decided to forfeit our lunch money,
donned our leotards, and used the money to head off down the road to the Public Pool. The brothers hired togs from the Pool as you could in those days.
It was great fun playing and swimming, diving with the Bee Gees who were just beginning to become famous in Brisbane.
They played as a musical intermezzo on stage which was during Interval and throughout the Pantomime, entertaining whilst the sets were being changed.
The photo I sent you I was dressed as a boy, because there were not enough boy dancers to fulfil the roles.

One of our evening shows, we performed for the then Governor of Queensland Colonel Sir Henry Abel Smith, who we got to meet after the show and shake hands and curtsey to him.
On that particular performance, I had ribbons catch on fire. We were wearing red leotards with very long ribbons that trailed from the back of our shoulders out the back and we were running through lines with sparklers.
A sparkler from another girl set my ribbons alight, as we ran off stage there was a bucket of cold water into which to place our sparklers, I also had to place my ribbons. Funny when I look back on it now.

Hope you can use this, and found it amusing.

Cheers, Cheryl
March 19 - 2014

Message from John Merchant

February 24, 2014
Hi Matt
I recently finished remixing the 1989 "One For All" concert for a Rhino box set that should be out in mid-May.
I'm really happy with the way it turned out, the previous release on VHS was not my best work, it didn't sound great and suffered from being rushed out the door.
We were able to take our time and make these mixes sound much closer to the musical intent of the show. They also benefitted from 2014 technological advances and monitoring.
While we considered remixing the studio albums as well, we chose to stay with the original master mixes but having them remastered at Gateway.
Remixing might have deviated from Arif and Femi's vision for those projects, so we stayed true to the originals.
Thank you for asking about the project. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!

Robin S. has been to one of Barry's Mythology concerts in the UK and loves to tell all fans why you should really visit one of the upcoming concerts if you are able to.

'You won't regret it. You'll see a very different Barry from the persona that performed with the Bee Gees: less of the perfect professional; more of the man loving what he's doing, entertaining you in his lounge.
Why do I think Barry was so relaxed on his solo tour?
The Bee Gees were always extremely polished, meticulous. It had been
ingrained in them since childhood. Barry had far more dialogue with the
audience on mythology. He chatted to us. He seemed less serious. He told
us about the songs, about his family and his brothers. As it was HIS show,
I guess he felt he could control the pace of it. Perhaps mainly it was
because HE wanted to have fun. It's like he didn't have to prove himself.
He just wanted to share the music that meant so much to him along with the
memories.
I also felt he got very emotional - mostly when the audience finished off
WORDS. He covered his eyes and then looked upwards. In that moment, he
seemed so humbled that, after all these years and all the pain, he was
still so appreciated'.

Marion/GSI, February 25. 2014

Growing up as the daughter of a very strict baptist preacher, I was not allowed to listen to any music other than Christian.
I was not allowed to wear pants. Long dresses that covered the neck to below the knees was the only acceptable attire.
Reading the Bible and going to church were my life along with home schooling. I was secluded and felt all alone.
I had no friends and was deeply depressed. My grandmother who I was only allowed to see occasionally knew I was in real emotional trouble.
She gave me an old transistor radio with an earplug. It was small and easy to hide. It took a few nights before I was brave enough to turn it on for fear of what would happen if my father found me with it.
It was in the middle of the night and the DJ said for all you ladies here it is again SHADOW DANCING by ANDY GIBB. That was the first non-christian song I had ever heard.

From that moment on Andy was forever in my heart. It was at least 6 months before I saw my grandmother again.
She took me to a store and bought me a teen magazine with Andy all over it. Now I had a face(and what a handsome face it was) to go with the voice that saved my life!
When things got to tough for me at home I went to a place in my head where it was safe. Only Andy and I were there. I never got to see him in concert and that pains me to this day.
In 1991 the Bee Gees had a fan weekend event where the fans got to go on a boat ride with Maurice, the next day they got to meet and take pictures with the brothers Gibb and a mini concert.
It was also a fundraiser for The Andy Gibb Memorial Foundation. I scraped together enough money to get from Chicago to Miami. It was unbelievably awesome to meet ANDY GIBB'S family.
It gave me a sense of what he truly might have been like. His music saved me. He is forever in my soul.
I did get to have a picture taken of me under his street sign. i wish I could have thanked him for his wonderful music!

Tammy M.

Fan Gathering, "Love And Hope Ball"

GSI is happy to announce you a special "Love And Hope" fan gathering by Anne Jakowenko.

Hello to all Bee Gee fans.....
Our first fan gathering for the new year will be as follows:
For all attending the Love and Hope Ball or for any fans in the Miami area,
we will have dinner at the Quarterdeck Restaurant, 2933 E. Las Olas Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 14. Sightseeing and photo shoots will follow. Since it is Valentine's Day, I will need a head count for the restaurant for Friday evening by Thursday, February 13. We already have an international group of fans attending, and I know it will be great fun.
On Sunday, February 16, after the Ball, we will have brunch at the Ball venue, The Westin Diplomat Resort, 3555 S. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, Florida at 11 a.m. Sightseeing will follow.

Please let me know if you would like to attend and talk "Bee Gee love" with us.
Send me a message on FB or email me at morobinbarrystories@gmail.com as soon as you are able.
As the North American tour progresses, I will post similar messages for fan "get togethers" , breakfasts, dinners and post-concert fun all along the way.
See you soon. ....so excited for all the fans.......Annie

Marion: after the Love and Hope Event we will announce more plans concerning fan gatherings in all the venue cities of Barry's North America Tour.

In 1965 at the age of 14 my family immigrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from Sacramento, California.
This was quite the upheaval and trauma you can imagine for a 14 year old.
A few weeks prior to departing my mom had let me use what were Blue Chip trading stamps that we had and I purchased a small AM/FM transistor radio with them.
In the USA back then virtually all what I would term pop music was played on AM stations, so there weren't that many FM stations back then here in the USA.
Little did I realize at the time of acquisition what having the FM aspect to my little transistor radio would come to mean to me, it truly became my link to life.
At that time Australia only had FM stations, so some angels were obviously guiding me when I went to that Blue Chip stamp redemption store and had enough stamps for an AM/FM versus AM only radio.
In 1965, the most popular radio station in Brisbane for my age range was 4BC.
Of course I was exposed to a whole new set of music by Australian artists besides the popular US and British music artists of the day.
During that first year I was especially homesick for California, and didn't adjust to the Australian school system which essentially gave me more time to listen to my little transistor radio.
I became aware of the Bee Gee's probably though by their appearance on several local TV programs, plus they were always being advertised on 4BC for singing at various local Brisbane hotels on weekends.
The 3 guys were only a couple of years older than me, and I'll admit that at the time I wasn't that impressed with them.
There were more popular Australian groups and artists at the time. My parents were members of a conservative religious denomination,
so I was raised with the "evils of rock & roll" so to speak, so I had to keep my music likes to myself to a large extent.
Not being in school, I had a strong interest in airlines too.
We lived within walking distance to the old Brisbane airport at Eagle Farm.
4BC would always advise listeners of the flight and time of arrival when the various artists were coming to town,
so I would walk to the airport to see what were "stars" to me, since going to concerts was really out of the question.
I did manage to go to one concert though, not exactly sure of when but it featured only the prime or more popular Australian artists,
however I think the Bee Gees' were included in the line-up that evening but were not one of the more popular groups/artists performing that night.
At the time there was a promoter, Harry Miller I believe his name was, that brought in the most popular artists from the US or Britain.
In February 1966, he brought The Rolling Stones along with several local artists included on the concert venue in all the capitol cities.
The Bee Gees' were part of the program in Brisbane as I recall. My folks wouldn't give me money for concert tickets, but they didn't restrict me from walking to the airport.
When The Rolling Stones arrived, it had to be one of the biggest events of the day.
The airport was packed, and of course there was hysteria by all the fans, both male and female.
After they had departed the airport in a bus for their hotel in the city, and yes I had another little story of scaring
Mick Jagger that day when the bus coming out of a hangar, as it approached the entrance I had gone inside the hangar so that I was on the side as the bus passed by.
Looking forward towards the crowd of people at the entrance, I caught Mick's eye because I was on the side of the bus and he turned suddenly as if startled to see me.
As the bus left the crowd followed as quickly as they could get into their cars, etc. It was sort of like Keystone cops, total bedlam. Since I was walking, I just started towards home.
About a quarter of a mile down the road outside of the airport proper this VW bus/van pulled up to the side of the road in front of me.
As I walked by I realized who was in the VW bus because they were switching drivers. Barry, being the oldest was legally the only driver. But they had pulled over to switch drivers.
Back then I never could keep straight in my mind which was Robin or Maurice, both wouldn't of even been old enough yet to have a learners permit to drive,
so I'm not sure which of them it was that took over driving. In later years, I also drove illegally in Australia on multiple occasions.
But I did realize there were more than just the 3 guys in the van. There was a young boy which obviously was Andy who would've been about 8 then.
I think their sister Lesley was with them too, or perhaps a few of their friends. Living in Brisbane they had come to the airport for The Rolling Stones arrival too,
even though they were part of the opening act for the Rolling Stones as I recall. They were still trying to make it, but hadn't achieved true success yet.
We moved to Sydney several months after this, and I remember in early 1967 one of the DJ's announced on the radio the day after that the Bee Gees' had sailed, leaving Australia and were returning to England. It was almost like a un-event, no fanfare to speak of.
Later that year though when their first hit which I think was "New York Mining Disaster 1941" hit the airwaves, the Aussies claimed them as theirs.
Their hit "Massachusetts" came shortly thereafter, not sure in what order now and of course the rest is history.
I returned to the US with my parents in 1968 when I was 17 so some of the song history I might have confused.
They never really had a true hit song while living in Australia but thinking about it now I know they really chased after success,
and a lot of what they did was useful to them after they returned to England and they achieved true popularity and success.

So that's my little story.
The early Bee Gees' swapping drivers in their VW bus/van outside of the Brisbane airport.

Of course, I have loved their music over the years and their music is one of the largest of my digital collection today.
I was glad that Andy achieved success as well but of course saddened at his early passing,
and also saddened by both Robin and Maurice's passing sooner than any of them should've.
I can't even comprehend the pain of sibling loss their family has suffered,
but believe the 3 younger brothers are in better place now and thankful for their contribution to our lives with their music and appreciate the efforts of people
like yourself at preserving and sharing their music and news with us little un-famous people. The world definitely is a better place because of the Brothers Gibb.

Thanks for reading.
Warm regards,Doug Henson

Andy Gibb living in my old bedroom

I lived in that house at 5811 Oakdale Ave growing up in the 1960's and 70's.
My father was with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time and I have many fond memories of that time. One year in the mid-80's,
I was on a business trip to LA and impulsively stopped at the house and knocked on the door. An older English gentleman answered in shorts with no shirt,
and welcomed me to come in. Looking around my teenage home, I noticed gold records on the wall, and pink pigs (the symbol of RSO) in the dining room and kitchen where I'd had Christmas dinner years ago.
Turned out that the Bee Gees had bought my teenage home for their parents. Andy had broken up with Victoria Principal, and was living in my old bedroom, though he was not home at the time.
They showed me around, and Andy's closet was open, with either some "Solid Gold" or Vegas stage costumes in plain sight.

The mom and dad could not have been nicer, and had me stay for a few hours.
A beautiful young girl named Berry Gibb (I think) was there, a cousin or niece. You probably know exactly who she is.

It was a lovely afternoon and I got in touch with them a couple more times.
They really seemed to love the house, which had a pool and a guest house where Berry was living for a time. I'd loved the Bee Gees
since their first hit when i was in 8th grade, so it was astonishing to find the parents so randomly. I always go back and look at homes I used to live in.
This time it was very special.

Preston B., Darien, CT

Bee Gees - "Fanny Be Tender" - Who is Mrs. Fanny?

"Fanny was a lady heavy black and the sweetest women.
She would help the brothers with taking care of the house and some individual needs.
She could cook, clean, and was a pleasure to be around with a sweetness to her. While they were writing the song, she came into the room and that when they said FANNY.
That's the story. The song was written in Miami and I would see her at parties just so very proud that the brothers used her name in one of the greatest songs ever written in my eyes."

(c) Mr Lee Barchan

Peter Foldy's special Maurice Gibb photos

Peter Foldy

I have come across some newly discovered photos of Maurice that were taken by his Australian friend, filmmaker/photographer, Peter Foldy when Peter was visiting Maurice in the 1970s.
Peter is so kind to share his photos with the Bee Gees fans on the GSI website as well as telling us about his friendship with Maurice.
Peter is also singer/songwriter who had a number one hit in Canada as well as several top 10 recordings.

He has a new CD coming out in 2014 that I hear sounds great.
I will be posting the photos shortly on GSI website as well as Peter's story which will be posted on Maurice's In Loving Memory section on GSI website.
Don't miss it!
Also soon I'll give you details about Peter's new album and a special offer.

Attention Bee Gees fans!!
Below some info for fans who are interested in visiting a performance of the Belgium tribute band Massachusetts in The Netherlands on November 9th. 2013.
Fans from abroad who'd like to receive details (in English) about this event please contact:
info@massachusetts-fanclub.com before October 26th.!!

Confirmed last week to me by The Egiziano Brothers while I was in Italy:
During both Dutch concerts of The Italian Bee Gees: guest star will be their friend and original Bee Gees Band Member: BLUE WEAVER, ON KEYBOARDS!!Don't miss it and come to Brunssum and Deurne
A full time concert with live band playing and singing all the world famous Bee Gees hits.

"FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER"
Celebrating the Bee Gees music in Holland this Fall !!
How deep is your love for the Bee Gees?

(Dutch + German translation below!)

A perfect chance for all Gibb fans to join together again. The 3 Egiziano Brothers (yes also 3 brothers!!) will again give some concerts in Holland.
Everything live and with complete band and backing vocals the Italian Bee Gees give on both locations a 2 1/2 hours show to honour the Bee Gees music which they love so much themselves.

First show: Friday October 18th. 2013: Pompenhuis 2, Heidestraat, Brunssum
(near Schuttershuuske in Schutterspark, Brunssum, Limburg, Holland)
Tickets pre-sale €17,50 p/p and €20.00 p/p at the venue.
The evening will have a dress code: "Friday Night Fever"
The venue will be completely decorated in the "Saturday Night Fever style".
During the night there are 3 prizes to win for best dressed and most original dressed person!!
Info and ordering tickets via email: litaturner@live.nl
By Face book in a private message: www.facebook.com/lita.turner
By phone: 06-45616749
By bank: : BIC : INGBNL2A IBAN : NL43INGB0669149381
Account number: 669149381 of: E.N.C. Houben for: "IBG" 18102013
Brunssum, The Netherlands.

It seems the press have got their facts wrong.
I say the press because first of all I can't think of a good reason why my Uncle would doubt the love my father had for him.
The one thing my father so heartbreakingly wished for in this world was to once more work side by side with his brother, to perform with him and to produce studio albums together again.
It was a subject that my father could not let a day go by without mention.
When he finally had the scans and he first knew he had cancer, when most men might seldom think of anything else other than the dreadful news at hand,
the first thing that my father was voicing his fear about was of never having that chance should something happen to him.
Second of all I have had the press skew my words before and insert "extras" and "speculative truths".
The truth of the matter is that my mother and I went against my father's wishes not to tell a soul and told Barry and Linda about his growth and the subsequent surgery to remove it in 2010.
You see, what the paper didn't print was the fact that nobody knew for sure until about 8 months before his death that he actually had cancer as my father had refused to go for screening.
Up until then all anybody knew was that there had been a growth in his bowel blocking his intestine which he had removed, but in the wake of his surgery, unfortunately he would not go for the appointments,
or for the scans and would not receive the phone calls from the hospital or the specialists to verify the nature of the blockage to see if the growth was benign or if it was a malignant tumour.

He expressly prohibited his own doctors from telling him or his own family a thing. By the time he relented and had the first scans and let his doctors speak to us,
(as at this stage he still wasn't allowing the doctors to tell him anything directly!) it had become secondary and spread to his liver.
It was then that our worst fear and suspicion was realised and we knew for certain that we might be dealing with a situation where too little too late could be done and additionally chemotherapy can be a rough sea to cross. We related the news to the rest of the family that night in September that the blockage he had removed in 2010 was malignant and had spread.
Had my father allowed the oncologists to diagnose and treat him immediately after the 2010 surgery then he might still be with us.
So, far from there being a cover up there was nothing to cover up, as my father was in denial of their being an anomaly to investigate in the first place.
The best advice I can give to anyone who has just been diagnosed with or knows somebody who has just been diagnosed with colorectal cancer is to seek treatment immediately,
the earlier the better and don't keep it from your family, don't demonise your doctors, especially your oncologist and remember this:
After my father knew for certain that he had colon cancer he was more afraid of the chemotherapy than the cancer.

This also caused even more delays and cancelled appointments (cancelled in this case means him pretending to be asleep and not getting out of bed, not getting in the car,
not showing up altogether and not receiving possibly life saving treatment) but once he got into the routine he thought it was not as bad as he had first reckoned it would be.
That didn't stop him wasting precious time and losing those vital treatments though.
The notion that my father wanted a solo career is just not correct either because you see, apart from getting back together with Barry being his strongest desire,
the whole reason my father was worried about Barry finding out in the first place was because he was afraid that if his brother knew he had a growth of any kind
he may tell him to take it easy for his health's sake and not to perform on stage and hence not work with him but not out of malice but out of concern.
But we had to tell Barry and the rest of the family immediately in 2010 and then again when we found it was malignant in 2011,
and on both occasions Barry never said to my father what he feared he would say (to take it easy, don't perform etc...). But sadly my father never recovered enough to realise those dreams of touring together again.
The Bee Gees may have tried their respective solo paths in the past but my father at least had long given up that notion,
he just wanted to do with his brother what they had always done best and bring into a new century what they had done as the best writing team in my view of the 20th century.

Marion / GSI July 6th. 2013

Bee Gees fan reunion: The Netherlands
An evening of Bee Gees music for all fans to enjoy
Come to Deurne (The Netherlands) to a live concert of The Italian Bee Gees.
Let's make it a real Bee Gees fan reunion again!!

Fans of the Brothers Gibb music:
In 2006, Rhino released the first three Bee Gee albums (First, Horizontal, Idea) in expanded/deluxe format.
Odessa followed in 2009.
Those of us who purchased these Rhino reissues can attest to the care Rhino demonstrated in these projects. However, Rhino has chosen not to continue this fine series.
According to various sources, Barry and the estates of Maurice and Robin want these albums to be made available.
The next three would be Cucumber Castle, 2 Years On and Trafalgar.

Bee Gee fans, the fate of this reissue campaign lies in our hands.
Rhino may be convinced if we let them know that there is, in fact, a willing market for this music.
Thus, I urge every fan to contact the good folks at Rhino at drrhino@rhino.com.
The time is now, as Barry embraces the Bee Gee legacy via his Mythology Tour.
We who have enjoyed the music of the Brothers Gibb can step forward and play an active role in its propagation.
We can make it happen if we care.

June 2013, Jim Pilewski

Poem for Barry

This poem is fairly new and is written to honour Barry and his brothers
and Barry's Mythology tour in Australia.

MY HEART IS WAY DOWN UNDER

I am still living in Chicago,
Yet my heart is way Down Under,
Would that I could be there,
With a cup of Cheer
To replace a tear,

To love and support you
is forever a pleasure,

When you cry, Luv,
Know that we cry along with you,

On this road you travel,
Godspeed and know
Your bros will bring you Home

We'll all be there someday soon!

Margaret Hodge Moores, 8, February, 2013

Book: the "Bee Gees - The Australian Years"Andrew Môn Hughes:

I'm just thinking that there are definite possibilities for expansion in the "Bee Gees - The Australian Years" book project - we had intended to include the BGs visits to Australia after they left in 1967,
so we were going to feature sections on the 1971, 1972, 1974, 1989 and 1999 concerts and also Robin's tour a few years ago.
With Barry currently on tour, and the unveiling of the statue in Redcliffe next week, this, I think will bring closure to the whole Australian story, so I was hoping that we could get new content as it happens.
If you're attending any concerts or see Barry and the family at any other opportunity, and get good photos, please contact me. Also looking for good hi-res (300dpi) scans or any newspaper and magazine articles,
scans of tickets, photos of concerts posters, backstage passes ... ANYTHING relating to this visit.
Also, if there are people in the Brisbane area who have good photos of the pavement tributes, such as the Walk Of Stars at Caloundra or the Walk Of Fame at Fortitude Valley, please get in touch.
Thanks!

I was employed by Irvines Radio/ TV store back in 1960. My supervisor was Hugh Gibb. He often would talk proudly of his boys and would sometimes show me a song that Barry had written the night before.
There was only two of us working in the store. It was shortly after TV was introduced to Brisbane, which was in 1959, so there was a lot of interest in electrical stores at that time, with everybody buying or aspiring to buy a TV set.
Hugh and I were always having fun introducing TV to people for the first time.
I soon learnt that if he was in a bad mood it was easily changed by asking how the boys were doing.
Barbara and the family would often visit Hugh at the workplace so I got to know Barry who is a couple of years younger than I am.

I remember that Hugh had purchased a 1950s Vauxhall car which he was also proud of. We discussed how much he had paid for it (four hundred pounds) and was paying it off.
Around 1961 I left Irvines and went and worked at the Courier Mail In Queen St.
One of my work colleagues there: Cliff Bingham, was dating Lesley Gibb. I have forgotten most things but for some reason those couple of things have stayed with me.
Can't explain why I remember the price of the Vauxhall. It would be great to meet Barry again.

Regards, Terry Adair, Melbourne

Anne Jakowenko, the blog author, has been loving the Bee Gees for decades while raising her sons and teaching college students Speech Communication and English skills at her alma mater,
Syracuse University, where she received her Master's degree. She has also taught for SUNY Oswego and Barry University. Currently,
Anne is teaching for the State College of Florida while she continues to collect stories for her book, My Life with the Boys.
She considers every story that she has heard a gem and is thrilled to honor Barry, Robin and Maurice by sharing the power of their music through the words of the fans who love them.

The last concert tour in Brisbane Australia I thought I bet the Bee Gees come to their hometown Redcliffe.
I was at my parent's house who live on the waterfront at Clontarf a suburb of Redcliffe. I saw a stretch limo go past Mum & Dad's house the afternoon before the big concert that night, and thought,
I bet the Bee Gees are in that Limo!
My younger sister and I ran to my car to follow the Limo. I was in such a hurry I had no time to get my shoes or camera!
I thought I bet they go to the Palace hotel where they used to play, so I went there first to find them.
Bingo! Spotted their Limo and we followed the car.
At one stage we were side by side with the Limo and they had darkened windows but my sister and I were waving to them, very excited.
They got out of the car near Humpy bong State School at Margate and being by the beach, it's quite often windy at Redcliffe.

The brothers were walking side by side and Barry's long hair was blowing back in the wind just like in their video clips!
It was surreal to see them there and my sister and I were the only ones around besides them.
My sister said let's get out of the car and say hello but I had no shoes on, no camera, no pen for an autograph, plus a bit shy, so we didn't get to talk to them- unfortunately for us.
I said to my sister Leanne, they look so happy reminiscing about their childhood in Redcliffe, let's go now and leave them in peace alone to enjoy their time without fans bugging them.
This was one of the loveliest stories of my life to recall, I always get excited telling others the day I saw the Bee Gees at Redcliffe.
This wonderful day was topped off by a great night of music at their concert. At the concert, they said who is here from Clontarf,
Redcliffe etc and we proudly put up our hands to show we too were from Redcliffe. It was a great night of music, so many hits, beautiful voices,
Robin's hauntingly so, I loved it so much and have been waiting ever since for the chance to enjoy another wonderful concert with a Bee Gee!
Thanks for coming back Barry, Hope it is not too sad for you without your dear brothers, we all miss them. Maurice was always so happy and enthusiastic, Robin had such a beautiful voice.Carolyn Allan

New book about David English By Stephanie Lynne Thorburn.

Hi Marion,
I'm emailing to offer some summary information on my new Kindle book on David English. The eBook has been published as a special gift to David English and the Bunburys from me this Christmas
A number of my features from Brothers Gibb have been re-archived into this text, (with credit to you and GSI...)www.stephaniethorburn.webs.com

This special edition publication encompasses a compendium of collectable connoisseur's features, reports and interviews themed on
Dr. David English, RSO Records and 26 years of the Bunbury pro-celebrity Cricket Club. Bunbury Cricket was founded in 1986 by Dr. David English and originally comprised the 'Eric Clapton X1'.
The Bunbury cricket project has been supported over time by an unprecedented aggregation of music, showbiz and sporting personalities including Bill Wyman, Sir Ian Botham, Viv Richards, Barry Gibb,
Eric Clapton and Joanna Lumley.
To date, the Bunburys have raised over 15 million for major charities such as Leukaemia Research, Make-A-Wish and the Crossroads Centre, Antigua. The Bunbury Cricket Club enjoyed their Silver Anniversary in 2011.

The overall appeal of this personal memoir on the career of David English is that of a nostalgic almanac or collector's special edition biography.
The material has been assimilated by the author as a labour of love and is a gift to the Bunbury Cricket Club.
Content includes detailed interviews with David on his career and the legacy of RSO Records; there is also a collection of illustrative features on both RSO and the Bunburys.

The book title pays homage to David English and illustrator Jan Brychta's enchanting children's book series, 'The Bunbury Tails'.
The text provides plenty of substance for lovers of David's quintessentially English, eccentric Bunbury C.C.
and is equally informative for those curious in respect to the under documented biographical aspects of Robert Stigwood's archetypal RSO Records.

Hi all ,
I was lucky enough to meet the Bee Gees at a public service Christmas party
that they performed at in 1960 (if memory holds me well) in Brisbane
Queensland. I was only a little girl of about nine years of age and they
were absolutely fantastic. No electric guitars from what I remember but boy
you could see the talent. Santa had landed in an oval new the venue in a
helicopter to bring presents for the children and Maurice asked me if I saw
Santa land ,he could not leave the venue to go to the oval I expect but he
was very interested and excited in what I told him. In the "break for
singing" my brother and I spoke to the boys back stage and Barry showed my
brother how to play the guitar. I was so moved by them that I would not go
home at about ten thirty at night and cried in the car all the way to Upper
Mount Gravatt where we lived. Just lovely people, it remains one on the best
memories I have; Judy

Tribute song: Song For Barry

Lyrics
You stepped into my life with words that were like heaven
With love so right I never felt I was alone, I was the child
The love inside and come on over
For many years your living eyes have touched our lives and touched our souls
With much to give, we treasure you so much
Our Barry Gibb
The chance of love shows you how to love somebody
Islands in the stream that strive it's such a shame
Be who you are, oh teacher, run wild it's your life story
Letting go is never easy, you have had your share, you felt the pain
We've seen this too.
And now your brothers gone, you are not alone

I recently wrote a song called "Round The Sun". I was reflecting on Robin's passing and came up with this song almost accidentally in the style of the pre-Disco Bee Gees era.
I thought you might like to hear it. http://soundcloud.com It would be very interesting if I could get the real Barry Gibb to have a listen. I hope I have done that Bee Gees era some justice with the song.
I wish you continued success with your web page!

Sincerely,
Robert Orzechowski

Italian Bee Gees give tribute to The Bee Gees with shows in Holland.

Again The Egiziano Brothers came to visit The Netherlands to pay tribute to The Gibb Brothers.
The Italian Bee Gees did 2 shows, one in Limburg, a complete 2 hours show October 5th., and one in Overijsel on October 6th. (3 times 45 minutes during a covers festival event).
The audience was very enthusiastic and although many of them, specially during the very crowded performance in Overijsel, had never heard from the Italian brothers before,
they most of all loved their way of performing, like they mentioned to me: 'these boys play and sing The Bee Gees music with so much passion!!'
The Egiziano Brothers sent this message today to thank everyone:

Once again, we want to thank -with all our heart- our Dutch and German friends..!! Too many to mention them all, but THANK YOU for all your love and affection..
And thank you to let us feel at home, everywhere we are...
We are one, for ever..
The Italian Bee Gees
(October 8th. 2012)

It's confirmed now: The new and extensive Bee Gees musical tour called "Massachusetts", which has been announced some time ago to travel all over Germany in 2013 will be performed by Europe's Top Bee Gees Tribute band: The Italian Bee Gees!!!
They'll bring much more then a concert. It's going to be a musical journey through the lives of The Bee Gees; the three famous British Brothers Gibb
and this project will also be performed by three brothers.

Three Italian Brothers. Huge fans of The Bee Gees and singers of Europe's Top 1 Bee Gees tribute band: Italian Bee Gees.
The show tells the story of The Bee Gees, their life and career, with huge screens showing photos and videos, live music, dancing, singing etc. etc.
www.resetproduction.de.
Tourchedule and tickets:
www.resetproduction.de

After a huge German tour earlier this year and another tour through their home land Italy they have done this summer,
The Italian Bee Gees will be coming to Holland again in October before going on with planning more future concerts for later this year and next year etc.
October 5 and 6 the group will perform in Holland.

October 5th. Rimburg/Landgraaf (in Limburg at the German border)

Tickets: € 12.50 pre sale.
you can make your reservation at: info@mamagency.nl
After your reservation you can pay at the following account:
ING Bank (The Netherlands) account number 450 2226 of:
Gemeenschapshuis D'r Eck , Rimburg
(For foreign fans: for a bank transfer from abroad you'll also need the following codes: Iban: NL62INGBooo4502226
Bic: INGBNL2A).
Or pay € 17.50 at the venue, the day of the concert.You can also pre order your tickets at the following addresses:
Cafe d'r Eck, Brugstraat 16, phone: 0455321135
Rimburgerhoeve, Rimburgerweg 176, phone: 0455324899
Cafe de Rotonde, Hoostraat 193, phone 0455315633

October 6th. Denekamp ( in Overijssel, also at the border with Germany), details and ticket sales at : www.denekampundercover.nl

Enjoy: Europe's No.1 Tribute To The Bee Gees !!!
Together with The Italian Bee Gees we're going to enjoy an evening of wonderful Gibb music and pay tribute to Maurice, Robin and Andy.
This way we hope being able to help Barry keeping the Gibb music alive for a very long future.
Are you coming too?

Davide Egiziano of The Italian Bee Gees:
" I want to personally and publicly thank each and everyone for the many messages received after the concert in Paola ... we hope to always deserve friends like you.. ".

My Love For Barry, Robin and their family
Story by a fan: written in April 2012

it's hard writing at a time like this with dear Rob the way he is...but here goes.......

I have always found the Gibbs to be the most humble and giving of guys.
Considering who they are and the legendary status, they are so down to earth and at times it seems to me, almost shocked by the love showered onto them by their millions of fans.
I have lived in Manchester all my life and have a friend who lives at no 31 Keppel Road.
It send shivers down my spine every time I drive down it... I always stop at no 51... and try to imagine the 3 boys "causing mayhem".(lol)
I have met them on many occasions The sliver heart award which was held here in Manchester a few years ago felt like a real homecoming.
Me and my wife have been to The Prebendal on many occasions and Robin has always made us feel so welcome. I have a Guitar Robin has signed here at home as well.
I have appeared in may Hollywood shows such as Scrubs and How I Met Your Mother and have mixed with the stars, to be honest nothing bothers me about it but when I am in the presence of Barry and Robin am in total awe.
We travelled to the Love and Hope ball this year for the first time, it was unbelievable.
Ended up meeting Dick Ashby in Miami on our first day there and he, after seeing how mad I was about The Gibbs, told me that he was going to get me into the sound check.
Though it would be on Saturday morning and so we had a day spare so me and my wife drove the 380 miles up to Orlando to go to our fave place which is Universal studios.

Parked up the car and as we got to the main gates we got a text from Dick: "its today p.m. and I have got you in".....ohhh no.... took one look at the wife got straight back in the car and drove the 380 miles back!
On the way, got to excited, took a ramp onto the freeway too fast and spun out. Just missed the central reservation by inches and when we stopped spinning all we could see is the oncoming traffic coming towards up, so quickly spun it back the right was round and once I got my composite back drove to Miami.
Barry made time to meet us before and after the sound check. I told him we almost didn't make it on the account of the near miss on the freeway.
I think he was more freaked out than us, he said "OH NO.... I am nervous enough as it is" (lol).
We took photos with him.
We went to the Love and Hope Ball. I ended up with a guitar signed by Barry and will treasure it forever. Had fun and games trying to get it back to the UK. No way was I letting it go in cargo so carried it as hand luggage.
The guys on Delta put it in the same cupboard as the captains coats to keep it safe, that was nice of them.!!
The biggest thrill of the night is when Barry mentioned me and my wife by name!!! that we shall never ever forget. So sad that I had my camera off at the time to save battery.

Luckily for me someone posted the video on YouTube. www.youtube.com (its at 4.05).
People came rushing over to us " did you hear that?" oh yes... We did UNBELIEVABLE .
Though the contacts and friends we made during our few days there we were also invited to the Hard rock sound check as well, here is a video I did : www.youtube.com
that was an amazing concert, here is the intro I recorded: www.youtube.com
It was a truly amazing 9 days, to top it all off, on the last day I gave dear Linda the photo of me and Barry that I had developed and left it with him together with my address.
2 weeks after I got home it arrived here signed by Barry "thanks us for coming ,,see you again soon... love Barry x"
that was so sweet of him. Had a nice chat with Stephen, Linda and Ali as well during our days there. Will never forget how good these people have been to us.
Easy to see why they are so loved to this day by so many from across the globe!!

God bless the Gibb family
Ash. (copyright story and photos: Ash)

Pet Shop Boys tribute to Robin Gibb

Most obviously in 2012 PSB covered the Bee Gee's classic 1968 hit
"I Started a Joke" in tribute to Robin Gibb who had passed away earlier in the
year. They had previously used the original Bees Gees recording personal favorite of theirs as the "audience leaving" music for one of their tours.
Chris has said that the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack album dominated
by the Bee Gees was a major influence on him inspiring his love of dance music. He reiterated this fact (specifically citing the song "Night Fever")
during the week of April 13 2009 on BBC Radio 2's Tracks of My Years a weekly feature that asks artists to choose songs that "changed their life.
"And when asked by Johnny Marr in an interview "What band would you like to have been in for a day"?

Chris replied: "the Bee Gees when they were doing Saturday Night Fever in Miami."
Blue Weaver a keyboardist who spent much of the seventies working with the Bee Gees also worked with the Boys on their first album "Please"
as well as some of their earliest live performances.
The PSB song "Nightlife" is something of an homage to the Brothers Gibb and
is heavily influenced by them. In fact Chris and Neil submitted a request for them to provide backing vocals for the track but received no reply.
Influences can go both ways: the Bee Gees publicly acknowledged that their
1993 track "Fallen Angel" was heavily influenced by PSB.www.youtube.com

Source: www.geowayne.com
Wayne Studer, Ph.D.
A fan of both the Pet Shop Boys and the Bee Gees
psbfan@geowayne.com

Bee Gees Tribute Shows

The group The Italian Bee Gees is touring again through Italy in August and September.
Here are a number of confirmed dates:

Next to that there are plans for shows in Holland and Germany later this year and / or next year. We'll keep you posted!!
www.fratelliegiziano.it

Meeting Barry and Robin a few times
I've been lucky enough to meet both brothers a few times. I was at Robin's home in London a couple of times and I must tell you,
He is such a great guy. So kind and down to earth. His wife Dwina is also very cool. She gave me a quick tour of the church where Robin has a ton of gold records hanging on the walls.
What a great afternoon. I also met him in Aruba and in Miami. I met Barry twice, both times in Miami. I went to Middle Ear Studio and knocked on the door,
Steven Gibb came out and I explained to him that I was on my way to the airport and it would mean the world to me if I could shake Barry's hand and tell him how much there music has meant to me.
Steven told me that Barry was busy but he would ask him, sure enough here comes Barry larger than life, he stands about 6 foot tall. He took some pictures with me and gave me a hug.
What a day that was!!! When I got home I mailed him the photos of us together, he signed them and mailed them right back within a week.
What a great guy!! I'm heading to the Love and Hope Ball this Sunday where Barry will be performing and I don't mind telling you I'm so nervous!!!
Then a few days later I'll be front row at his solo concert at the Hard Rock in Hollywood. I'll send you some more pics of him. Great web site and thanks for all the info and time you spend on it.

CHEERS!! Ronnie Soto.

The Love And Hope Ball was great. I was just a few feet from Barry. The concert was amazing!!!!! When Barry came out, the crowd went crazy.
After he did the first song (Jive Talking) everyone gave him a standing ovation. You could see that he was over come with emotion.
He sounded great. He did speak about his 3 brothers and got emotional. He asked us if we would pray for Robin to get better.
All in all the night was something that I will never forget. I have a tattoo of The Spirits Having Flown logo and I took a picture of it to show Barry. He autographed the 8x10 for me.

Ron S.

Tribute Song For Robin

Hi Marion,
Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jimmy Stanley, a UK singer/songwriter and tribute entertainer to Robin Gibb.
I am the former member of the Bee Gees tribute band 'Stayin' Alive UK, which you have featured before in your news column.
I have been fortunate enough to meet the Bee Gees on a few occasions after being a competitor on the popular light entertainment Granada TV programme 'Stars In Their Eyes' as Robin singing 'Massachusetts' at the time.
I am writing to let you know that upon hearing the sad news of Robin's passing a month ago, I felt compelled to write a song about his amazing legacy and his brave battle with cancer.
Called 'Reflections Of Robin' I am hoping that I can reach as many Bee Gees fans out there as possible with your help of posting news about the release.
My intentions were to make them all aware this brand new song is going out on itunes, Amazon mp3, Spotify, Zunes and many other download sites as from Monday with a promotional video out soon.
As far as I'm aware, this is the only original tribute song written so far to the great man himself and I hope to distribute 50% of the proceeds to the Rebeccah Children's
Hospice & Bomber Command Memorial also as a gesture of goodwill for Robin's family and friends, should the sales for the release be substantial enough to warrant such a donation.
As you will know, these are two causes very close to Robin's heart.

The definitive biography, now updated to include the tragic death of Robin Gibb in May of this year.
Most famous for having created the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever , the ultimate disco movie, Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb have also written countless hits,
both for themselves and others and this new edition contains a list of every song written and recorded by the brothers.
This extensively researched biography covers four decades from their early days in Manchester and the lsle of Man before the family emigrated to Australia and returned to London find fame in 1967
with Massachusetts , the first of many hits. Over the years the Bee Gees career has mixed triumph and tragedy in equal measure as well as celebrating their success
this biography covers their doldrum years, the divorces and the tragic death of Robin, Maurice and Andy Gibb. Incorporates a complete listing of every song written or recorded by the Gibbs.

Recently GSI received several mails about a young boy who saved his mothers' life with the help of a Bee Gees song.

Hi Marion,
George is the young son of a close friend of our cousin's. The article is self-explanatory.
I was trying to think of what I could do to acknowledge George and thought how wonderful a commendation of some sort from the Bee Gees would make his day. If it wasn't for the song and George's quick thinking and bravery, his mother would not be alive today.
I so hope that some token of acknowledgement from the Brother's Gibb can be had.
Gratefully,
Pat P.

Hello,
Last week, a friend of mine, Claire Hamilton, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, went into cardiac arrest and her 13 year old son George saved her life by performing CPR to the beat of "Stayin Alive."
He had remembered seeing an episode of "The Office" where they did just that.
Marilyn G.

I've been an avid fan of the Bee Gees since I first heard them sing New York Mining Disaster 1941 back in 1967.
I took the Long Island Railroad to a Bee Gees concert at Forest Hills Tennis stadium in Queens, NY in August of 1968.
The opening act was a group called Spanky and Our Gang. At the time I think the Bee Gees had released Bee Gees 1st,
Horizontal and Idea and sang selections from those albums.
Over the next 40 years I amassed a huge collection of records, cassettes, videos, magazines, and anything else related to the Gibb brothers both as a group as well as solo singers.
I saw them perform at a roller skating rink on Long Island on the downside of their popularity (they were one of 4 acts that evening) to a full house at Madison Square Garden at the height of the Spirits Tour.
Although I followed the Gibbs closely, and still do, I never really met them prior to just a few years ago.
Now here's where Maurice comes in.
The Bee Gees were going to perform near Rockefeller Center in New York City for the Today Show. The performance would be on a side street between two skyscrapers.
When I arrived, there was quite a crowd so I hung back and watched them sing from a distance.

After the performance, I noticed they ducked into a building and I followed them.
Inside they were having photos taken with I imagine execs from NBC TV. I motioned to them
and Dick Ashby came over to me.
I told him how much I wanted to meet the Gibbs but he said they were ready to head to the
airport and he needed to get them out of the building as quickly as possible.
As they left, I quickly shook Barry's hand and as I put my hand out to Maurice, he stopped in his tracks.
I shook his hand, told him I was 54 years old and that I had been following the Gibbs since I was 17 years old. He looked at me and said," Thanks for telling me that, I really appreciate it"...and off he went.
My second encounter was at the A&E Live By Request concert in New York.
I was running a trade publication that covered the television industry and knew all the top A&E execs. So naturally I was able to secure a pass to the concert for me and my wife.
Since it was a VIP pass, we were escorted to our seats. I told the usher I had never met the Bee Gees in all the years I followed them.
He left and came back with two backstage passes.
Wow! Was I finally going to meet the group that was such an integral part of my life?

After the concert we went backstage.
My wife suggested we stand by the open door that they would come through but I insisted on hanging out with my colleagues from A&E.
We were all the way in the back of the room.
Before I say anything further I wanted to mention when Billboard magazine published a 35th anniversary salute to the Bee Gees, I wrote a feature on collecting Gibb material.
So, finally the Bee Gees enter the room, Barry first, followed by Robin. They looked at the crowd, and decided to leave, no doubt because they were probably beat after being in New York all week on a press tour, TV appearances, etc.
As Barry and Robin leave, my hopes of ever meeting them are dashed. However, who continues into the room? Maurice.
As he approaches me I hand him a copy of my Billboard article and tell him I wrote it.
He looks at it and says to me "that's you man?". I then ask if he'll allow us to take his picture.
He says, "Absolutely" and puts his arm around my waist.
My wife snaps a photo which now hangs proudly on the wall of my office.
He was gone not too long thereafter. Doubtful I'll ever meet Barry or Robin but my two chance encounters with Maurice will remain forever in my memory as a time I truly cherish.

Larry Oliver

Bee Gees Meeting
Some Dutch fans have made plans to organize another BG Meeting in The Netherlands.
Date: Saturday, March 17th. 2012
Location: Restaurant Sprok, Waaldijk 9, 6681 KJ Bemmel, (near Nijmegen).
There's even a possibility to book a room at the location for € 27,50 per person per night.
www.sprok.nl
Program of the day:
Opening 14.45 with coffee and a delicious surprise.
For dinner there will be a warm and cold buffet starting at 17.30. The dinner will be closed with an ice buffet.
In between there's time for a chat and maybe a quiz or lottery, a drink and perhaps a dance?!
Music is taken care off but if you have special requests or ideas, please let us know!
The costs are 40 Euros a person. Please let us know before February 2nd if you are coming.
Write to: jollie_1967@hotmail.com if you are interested in visiting the meeting and to get addition information, or when you have questions and suggestions etc.

Might any of you have a clean image of the "Spirits" logo that appeared on the tail of the "Spirits" Tour Jet? It's the three heads morphed into one tornado like image!? I've found little thumbnails that are foggy and blurry but nothing large and clear.
I am getting a tattoo of that image in 2 weeks and my artist was hoping for a cleaner image to use as his guide for his interpretation! I've attached the image I have. Any help?

Dennis Bryon
Dennis (of The Bee Gees Band) got married (December 25th.) to Kayte Strong his musical partner for the last ten years. This Christmas is a very special one for him and Kayte.
Congratulations!!

Dennis Bryon and his bride Kayte Strong

Marion / GSI

Hello!

I recently published this A Cappella cover of "How Deep Is Your Love",
which I sang with 3 friends of mine (I'm the guy to the far right with
the Afro):
www.youtube.com
None of us 4 ever met in person: we all live in different places and
did everything through the internet.!!
I am hoping you'll like our cover enough to share it with your fans
and followers. I'd be grateful if you could.
Cheers,

Julien

From Geoff Bridgford

Hi Marion,
You may have already seen this clip, it's been doing the rounds on Facebook, but thought I would send it to you anyway.
I had the opportunity to work with award winning Australian filmmaker Sharon Shostak on a video for the song "Ordinary Man" off my new album "Another World". You can check out the video on my You Tube channel.
A few other songs off the album have also been uploaded. In the last few months I've had many requests to upload some of my older recordings from the GB Archives as well as some songs from a trio I had back in the early
nineties and also some of the instrumental music I've recorded over the years, so I've responded to those requests via my You Tube channel and more will be coming soon.
Nice to see Barry and Robin together, I read that Robin had recently been in hospital? All the best to you.

Dear BrothersGibb.org,
I just wanted to say that I love your website. I am a near teen and I think your website has really helped me learn a lot more about the Bee Gees.
I love them a lot more now since I have been on your website. I just love everything about the website. How it is set up and just all of the sections, and all of the info.
I love the newsletter part, it can really keep me up to date with things. Just like I wouldn't have known that Robin was selling his house in Florida. I just LOVE everything about the site. Bye

Aiyana S.

Hi I'm Janet. I have the album 'IDEA' for sale, which Barry signed the back of for me.
Interested? see GSI Advertisement

Barry and Robin rented a flat in Amen Corner EC4 London. This was opposite
where I worked I would often talk to them out the window, and meet up downstairs. Maurice and Lulu would turn up sometimes. One time Barry and Linda came back from holiday and she had caught some bug that had bought her out in a bad rash.
Sorry there are no photos of that period.
I was so very shy back in those days and was to embarrassed to say much when I was close up to them. One of my friends did take photos, but unfortunately we are not in touch.
Robin asked if he could come and look at the printing machines that he saw us working.
We said we would have to ask our supervisor for permission to let him in. Guess what she said NO.
We begged her but she would not change her mind. That was also embarrassing to have to tell Robin that.
We also saw Maurice and Lulu when they came to visit. They had a lovely big huge white fluffy dog don't know what type.
There was a lift up to there Penthouse and we got in it and went to the flat when the doors opened there were carpets on the wall. We were asked in but got scared
And came back down { what a regret }

With regards, Jan

Are you: U.K. Number One Bee Gees Fan?

Knickerbockerglory are a TV production company who are making a new show about Superfans.
We are looking for The Bee Gees number 1 fan in the UK to take part in the show.
Contact us at alex@knickerbockerglory.tv with pictures of memorabilia and a contact telephone number!

Thanks, we look forward to hearing from you, Alex Warman

The Roxborogh Report
I'm Tim Roxborogh,
an award winning radio announcer, music programmer, journalist and broadcasting lecturer with 11 years experience in Auckland, New Zealand.
I'm also a die-hard music fan, cricketer, amateur civil rights historian, world traveller and wannabe tennis legend.
Visit my website: The Roxborogh Report which brings you some of the best music of all time, social commentaries and travel adventures from around the world.
This month a special because of the 65th birthday of Barry Gibb
http://roxboroghreport.blogspot.com
you can contact me by emailing tim@roxborogh.com
greetings Tim

The Gibb Family Friendship Club

Fan Social Gathering - 2011

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida, USA

October 14 & 15, 2011

If interested in attending this event, contact Brenda Cornwell at b.cornwell@insightbb.com or visit the Gibb Family Friendship Club Reunion facebook page.
If you can't make it but would like to order the Support Pack, have photos or other items to donate or loan the event, please also contact Brenda Cornwell.
We will hold a silent auction to raise money for the Gibb Family Foundation, I'm working on a timeline display.

Four palm trees out of five: that park is going platinum
I very much enjoyed Jim W. Harper's "Park Patrol" review of Maurice Gibb Memorial Park in Miami Beach ("A Harmonious Place," July 2011). I have been living in Miami for more than seven years and had never seen, or even heard of, that park.
Although I was not around when the Bee Gees were in style, I would like to visit this waterfront hideaway in remembrance of this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pop star.I found the mosaic contributed to Maurice interesting.
I would have never guessed that the yellow, red, and blue pieces of glass signified peace, love, and tranquility. I also thought the carved piece of granite disguising "Mo's" name was quite creative.
The view of the bay from the seawall looks impressive as well.
This park certainly seems like somewhere my lover and I can get away, relax, and enjoy the beautiful bay.Since Harper is probably the only park critic in the nation,
I will take his word for it and believe that this park deserves four palm trees out of five. By the pictures and description, I am convinced this is somewhere I would like to visit.

Barry's exceptional relation with the guitar was the key to success.
Thank goodness that army guy that taught him how to play,
taught him to tune and play in dropped D tuning.
This way, finger settings for chords are in general, more simplified and you sound differently from all other bands. But the major bonus was, he was
taught a full pallet, the full scope of all delicate, rare and great sounding chords.
If you read in the Beatles bio, they searched for people on the streets to
expand their guitar knowledge and worshipped the guy that showed them the
(pretty mainstream) C7 chord. While Barry from day 1 organically tried to
incorporate also diminished chords and maj7, minor6 and "plain 6" chords,
building melodies around them, which made the Bee Gees songs stand out.
If you play the classical way on guitar, it usually takes you a considerable amount of time and knowledge to play like Barry did from the beginning on.
It's interesting to see, when they filmed the development of "Just In Case", Maurice takes lead in suggesting the way it should go in the end, on
keyboard, while Barry tries a fuller scope on guitar, not wanting to exclude possibilities too quickly for a grand finale.
The point is, in the end it pays off to let Barry try and toy around some more. Cause the spectrum of his chords on guitar is wider than Maurice could match on his keyboard, there is evidence for that.

Hi Marion
There's a brief bio on my website with some historical pics and info about the making of my album. I love the feeling music brings to my life.

The selection of Bee Gee pics on my site are some that probably haven't been seen by many people.
They come from an interesting period in the Bee Gees career and although it has been well documented as a rather "topsy turvy" period for them, it was still an amazing and creative time.
They returned to Australia for their first tour after having left in 1967 and the concerts were incredible for the Australian audiences and the group.
To walk out on stage and be able to play such a string of international hits was amazing, it showed the true artistic talent the brothers had as songwriters and performers.
I have an actual copy of the set list running order from that first tour back in July 1971 (40 years on)
NEW YORK MINING DISASTER, TO LOVE SOMEBODY, REALLY AND SINCERELY, EVERY SECOND EVERY MINUTE, LAY IT ON ME
(An acoustic Medley, JINGLE JANGLE, MORNING OF MY LIFE) HOLIDAY, I CAN'T SEE NOBODY, WORDS, HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART,
I STARTED A JOKE, I'VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU, MASSACHUSETTS, LONELY DAYS and SPICKS AND SPECKS.
It was also during the '71, '72 period that the Bee Gees had their first number one single in the USA
"How can you mend a broken heart" and that was another amazing experience and time for them.
I'm glad I've been able to share some of my pics from that era, it truly was a magical time for the Bee Gees, but the best was yet to come.

Matt Bonelli: Former Bee Gee bassist teaching a new generation of musicians

COPYRIGHT:
WWW.MIAMIHERALD.COM
BY BECCA GRIESEMER
SOUTH FLORIDA NEWS SERVICE

MATT BONELLI BRINGS TO HIS CLASSROOM SOMETHING MANY CANNOT: STORIES OF PERFORMING LIVE WITH THE BEE GEES ACROSS THE GLOBE. HE STILL PLAYS IN A BAND
AT CHRISTY'S IN CORAL GABLES.

Every now and then, Matt Bonelli tells his students about the 12 years he spent touring with the Bee Gees.
Playing for audiences of 70,000 fans for the popular pop-and-disco band was a culture shock for Bonelli, who had gone from playing local hotels to concerts around the world.
One of Bonelli's favorite Bee Gees memories is from a concert at a racetrack in Ireland, where he imagined the crowd would be sitting on lounge chairs and blankets, just like in South Florida.
"When I came on the stage, there were 40,000 Irish people standing shoulder to shoulder, and they sang every word of every song for two hours," said Bonelli, now the jazz coordinator at Miami Dade College.
"It was completely amazing." Bonelli said his musical education continues through many of his students. "In order for me to teach people how to play music, I still need to be playing music," said Bonelli, 56.
"I still learn every time I play the bass line."Bonelli, who teaches classes, oversees ensembles and directs jazz and combo bands, said his young musicians' natural talents often surprise him.Derek Frank, 37, studied with Bonelli when he was teaching at the University in Miami in the mid-1990s.
Today, he plays bass full time in Los Angeles, has toured with the Dancing with the Stars band and recently released his debut solo album."There are some things that teachers taught me that I don't really use now," Frank said. "The things that I worked on with Matt are what I'm using in situations to make a living playing. "Bonelli's other famed alumni include Brian Yale from Matchbox Twenty and Ed Toth, a drummer for the Doobie Brothers, who graduated from the University of Miami in 1994. Bonelli received his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Miami in jazz performance and has taught at UM,
Miami Dade College and Florida International University.

He credits his bass education to his early days. In 1972-73, he played in the Fontainebleau basement during burlesque reviews. The next year, he was playing at the neighboring Eden Roc alongside Carmen Lundy, now an acclaimed jazz musician.
"I remember laughing a lot and having a great time on tour," Lundy said. "He's just one of those nice guys who is a pleasure to work with. "The Bee Gees and Bonelli were unexpectedly connected in 1993, when the three brothers - Maurice, his twin brother Robin, and Barry Gibb - were auditioning for a temporary bassist.
Bonelli landed the job after auditioning in the former Middle Ear Studios in Miami Beach.Bonelli joked that being with the band gave him "maybe 16" minutes of fame."If there were Bee Gees fans around that had seen my face on the Internet, they would maybe recognize me, but I could pretty much walk around unnoticed," Bonelli said. "The Bee Gees]were not able to do that. " The touring ended after Maurice Gibb died in January 2003 at age 53 after complications from a twisted intestine.
The brothers stopped touring as the Bee Gees in honor of Maurice Gibb's memory, but Bonelli performed off and on for Barry and Robin Gibb in the studio and at local venues until 2005,
when teaching became his main focus.He played bass on the Bee Gees live album, One Night Only, and on the final Bee Gees album, This Is Where I Came In, in 2001.
Bonelli said his students would find out about his band days with the Bee Gees through the Internet and word of mouth -and start questioning him about it.
"To me, it was just one of many things that I did," said Bonelli, who would fly to concerts and make it back on campus in time for class.
"Sometimes I was more tired than others, but it wasn't like I was doing it because I had to," Bonelli said. "I was doing it because I wanted to."

Geoff: Yeah all is good with me, I'm still fully involved in music and have been since my Bee Gee days in the early seventies.
I love the feeling and experience music brings to my life. I'm currently in the final stages of recording songs for a first ever GB CD release (better late than never) what started out as writing some songs for my kids for posterity became a pretty cool record of feelings.
It will be up online in cyberspace around mid June. I just took a look at the GSI website, was nostalgic, a lot of fond feelings and memories of working with Barry, Robin and Maurice surfaced.

There's someone who recently wrote me the following:
'My mom was in the music business for years in the 1970-1990. She has lots of memorabilia for lots of music artist.
As I was clearing out some of her stuff I found a White Satin tour Jacket for The Bee Gees. I would like to see that the jacket goes to some real Bee Gees fan.
This jacket is in mint condition. It has been stored for many years. I have no clue as to the value so to anyone interested: I will except the Best Offer'.

Recently several fans asked me to post some information about
The Gibb Family Foundation.
So I got in touch with Beverly Burke.

Beverly Burke:
'The Foundation is still in existence and still at the same place as it's always been (Dade Community Foundation) which has now been re-named as The Miami Foundation.
It still supports the same causes as always, mainly the DRI (Diabetes Research Institute) as well as the American Heart Association etc. but mainly the DRI, as that is charity that the family tends to support most.
There is not a website for the Gibb Family Foundation. The most recent contribution by the Foundation was to the DRI in February in honor of Maurice's Anniversary (January) and Andy's Anniversary (March).
We tend to use February in order to honor them both.
The address for the Foundation is as follows:

The Miami Foundation (formerly The Dade Community Foundation) has over-seen and run the day to day operations of the Gibb Family Foundation since it's inception,
shortly after Andy's death in 1988. They handle all of the donations and disbursements for the Foundation. At that time, the foundation was known as The Andy Gibb Memorial Foundation.
Shortly after Maurice's death, we met with Barry and Yvonne to discuss changing the name to encompass Maurice as well, we all decided on The Gibb Family Foundation.
Though we are not actively fundraising at the moment, the foundation is open and accepts donations from all over the world.'

Marion / GSI (thanks: Beverly Burke)

Hi, Many years ago my mother was a photographer and did many weddings in her career. She had a shop at that time in Paradise Street, West Bromwich in the West Midlands.
The shop was called BB Studios and Bridlewear. After the event she told me she had photographed the wedding of a cousin of the Bee Gees and that Barry Gibb who was then my heart throb (his posters decorated my bedroom from the age of eleven) was there and she photographed him with all the family.
As you can imagine my heart broke when she told me. I was so disappointed and hurt the fact that she did not trust me and didn't take me along to help and arrange the brides dress for the photographs as she had done many times before.
I will never forget just how close I was of meeting the man of my dreams at the tender age of, if I remember correctly 13 years. I was born in 1955 so I think it must have been around 1967/8. Although I can't remember the exact date.
The hurt and disappointment has always stayed with me, daft I know! but I just felt compelled to write.
The negatives were sent to the family along with the wedding photographs so I wasn't even allowed a glimpse.

Kind Regards, Susan.

Robin and Robin John photograph - Charlie Gray

Sunday Times article

Robin Gibb and his son Robin John talk about their career and the project they are working on together now.

To Whom it may concern,
I'm from The Greenroom in Liverpool, 78 Duke Street
Ricky Tomlinsons Cabaret Lounge.
We are hosting a Bee Gees tribute night on Saturday 26th February performed by a fantastic tribute act.
Ricky Tomlinson will be hosting this event along with other special guests.
Our website: www.thegreenroomliverpool.com

Thanks Jessica,
Public Relations, The Greenroom Liverpool

Hi GSI
I am really hoping to be in Europe this coming year. I have wanted to come for ages, but have not been able to make it, here's hoping in 2011.

Cheers
Vince

Vince Melouney

The Netherlands: Bee Gees Land

The Italian Bee Gees Show in the Netherlands (Hardenberg) is coming... it will
be the same day as Robin's Concert in Amsterdam (www.eventim.nl), so The Netherlands will be The Bee Gees Land on October 22nd !!!
Other Italian Bee Gees Shows in The Netherlands are planned for next year.
The Netherlands is in our heart... we feel at home in your wonderful country!

Vince will be performing again September 11th. The first half of the show features songs from both the Bee Gees and The Aztecs, but done on acoustic guitar with a backing track.
"I do them my own way, they are my own arrangements," he said. For the second half he will strap on the electric guitar and play some full throttle rock 'n roll.
Vince recently played to 800 people at Twin Towns and said he will be gigging his way back to Melbourne and heading off to Europe next year.
The show at the Commercial Hotel in Casino on September 11th kicks off from 8pm and entry is $15.
www.echonews.com.au

Bee Gees in The Seventies

A couple of years back Barry was interviewed on an episode of "The Sixties", a documentary on the artists and music of that decade.
This year a similar show by the same team called "The Seventies" airs and Sept 4, the episode on 1977 and disco music was aired with Robin as one of the artists being interviewed.
For those interested: the full episode (for Swedish TV) should be available to view online at: http://svtplay.se

The Bee Gees section featuring Robin as well as some recaps from the Barry interview for "The Sixties" show start at 3:25 and continues for about 15 minutes.
After that the show bring up disco and Robin appears once more before they go on to interview Tina Charles.

To GSI
I have just completed a book called "Pop Goes The Weasel: Rock'N'Roll Off The Record" that features behind-the-scene stories of me working with some of the world's biggest rock/pop stars of all time. One of the chapters features a story about the Bee Gees coming to Toronto to perform at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1980. I was their label rep in Toronto for Polygram Inc. which distributed RSO Records in Canada.
I'd be interested in having this chapter posted to The Bee Gees website and would love to hear any comments on my Facebook site for the book. The book is slated to be published in early 2011.

My name is Craig Yeaman. in 1969 I was a missionary for the Mormon church stationed in Scotland.
I knocked on the door of one Betty Lawrie on Meadowpark Street in Glasgow one day, was welcomed in, made several visits back over the next few weeks, taught her the tenets of the LDS church and had the privilege of helping her join the church...to which she remained faithful until her passing. who was Betty Lawrie?
Betty was Marie Lawrie's mother Marie is known better to most of the world as Lulu!
I have some wonderful pictures of Lulu and her family I took at a Christmas celebration in the Lawrie home while I was in Scotland and some of those pictures include my friend Maurice Gibb, who was married to Lulu at the time.

My family and I just returned from a trip back to Scotland/England just this week and just about succeeded in hooking up with Lulu while there.
Unfortunately our schedules didn't quite match up and we missed getting to see her at the last minute. anyway, I hope what I have might be of some value.
My family and I are and always have been huge Bee Gees fans which really took off for me when I had the great pleasure of meeting Maurice all those many years ago.
thanks again for taking a look at this.I think the family will appreciate what I have and maybe I can help them add a few pictures to their collections that will be of some value as remembrance of the kind, down to earth, "real" person Maurice was.
He and I had a great visit that evening and came away good friends. that meeting has remained a foundation for me all these years as I've enjoyed my own passion for music.

Craig Yeaman

See below some of the photos Craig took. He also sent them to the Lawrie family and just recently to the Gibb Family.

left: Craig Yeaman together with Maurice at the home of Lulu's parents.
all these photos were taken during Christmas.

right: Craig with Maurice and Lulu

left: Craig with Lulu and her mother Betty

right: A very special photo according to mother Betty as this one is the only photo of the entire Lawrie family with Mo in it.
( back row from left to right: Lulu's youngest brother, girlfriend of Billy, Lulu's brother Billy Lawrie, Lulu's father Eddie.
front row from left to right: Maurice, Lulu, Lulu's mother Betty, Lulu's sister Edwina).

To the Gibb Family:

I was watching the special on Biography of your brother Andy. And it brought back a very sweet, kind memory I had, of him!

Back in the early '80s, I use to live in Southern California, and was commissioned to do some book covers for an author, Winn Blevins, on Mountain Men historical stories. I was at a mountain man rendezvous, in the mountains, I think it was either Big Bear, of another spot. I had a trade blanket laid out, with beaded items, I had created: trade bead strands, necklaces, key chains, etc.
I was approached by a young man, and he picked out a number of items, turned to me, and said: "My manager will pay you." I asked: "And what does he manage?" To which he said: "well, you would probably know my brothers better, they are the Bee Gees....I'm Andy Gibb..."
Well, he about knocked me off my feet. He was so gentle, and kind, and unaffected! I didn't watch much TV at the time, so did not recognize him!
I just wanted to share that very short moment in time, with you! Having lost my Dad, who was my best friend...and basically not having any family left, small thoughts and events shared, about our loved ones, can bring back sweet memories, and feed our very souls!!

ALSO, don't write things off, strange little things, that happen... Without sounding "crazy"...my Dad has shown up many times since he left, to let me know, he is still "hanging around"... Actually saved my life about 3 times!!! And another, to let me know, the painting I'd just created, met his approval...all, kind of long stories...and all unexpected, at the time!!
I am so sorry for your losses...and of that of Maurice. Your family has truly been a blessing to the world! Thank you all, for your kindnesses and gentle ways!

Love, Betty (Live Well ... Laugh Often ... Love Much!!! )

Unique LP's of Saturday Night Fever

I'm a 68 year-old, semi-retired UK scientist who now lives in Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia.
I worked as a research scientist for BP Chemicals (part of British Petroleum) in the UK in the 1970's and, in the late 70's, I was responsible for the development of vinyls for manufacture of vinyl records.
I used to test my new materials at various companies in the UK that used to press records.

At one time, I produced a small quantity of vinyl pellets in a bright red colour and at that time, when I took a small bag of the experimental coloured vinyl to a customer in Leicester,
UK, they were pressing the double album, "Saturday Night Fever" which was top of the charts at that time.
The company was very busy pressing the normal black vinyls, but they pressed 10 sets for me in the red vinyl.
It was pure coincidence that the red of the vinyl was almost a perfect colour match for the small red bull on the label.
I kept 2 sets of the double album and I'm not sure what's happened to the other 8 or so - as it's now about 33 years ago.
No more records were pressed in that colour, so the red records are pretty unique. I attach 3 photos, but the colour in the photo is not quite as vivid as the actual colour.
The original white sleeves have yellowed but the folders are in pretty good shape. The 2 sets of records should be in good shape as I doubt if they've been played more than a couple of times and that would have been 30 years ago !
I'm sure that these are now collectors items, and if any of you is interested please get in touch. People may also be able to reach me on Skype and that way, they could see the records up close.

In answer to many fan mails I recently received with questions about BarryGibb.com
I can tell you I just received a mail from Darin Butler (who's taking care of Barry's website) telling me he's now with Barry in Miami finishing the content and store product of www.BarryGibb.com so it's very close to being ready now and also a chat will be announced on the site soon according to Darin.

Marion / GSI

Italian Bee Gees in French TV Show
The Italian Bee Gees report about their performance in the French TV Show:

"The TV Show on French TV "TF1", 'Qui sera le meilleur ce soir' last Saturday
April 17th was GREAT! We won our "Band Battle" against The Beatles tribute
(Four very nice boys from Essex-London called "like the Beatles").
In front of a jury composed by three famous French actors; Christine Bravo, Jean-Luc
Lemoine et Laurent Ournac and hosted by Christophe Dechavanne and Victoria
Silvstedt we (the Egiziano Brothers ) performed live: "Staying Alive" and "Night Fever" with the French TV Orchestra and the final score was:
Bee Gees -Beatles: 3 to 0.
It was a very fun game that gave us a great satisfaction and the consent of the French public. This is because the Bee Gees are very appreciated and loved in France!
The program was followed by six million viewers in France, Belgium and Switzerland".

More updates about the group:
The Italian Bee Gees have two confirmed shows in the Netherlands.
Next August 13th in Ulft at the Huntenpop-festival
and October 22nd in Hardenberg for the October-Fest.

The Italian Bee Gees in Paris

Italian Bee Gees represent Bee Gees Music in French TV show.
We mentioned before that the French TV is working on a TV talent show and they were looking for people performing with members of their family in various artistic categories such as dancers, magicians, singers, circus artists etc.
They hoped to find people playing Bee Gees music too.

We now have confirmation that The Italian Bee Gees will be part of the show and these three Italian brothers will represent the Bee Gees music in this talent show of Coyote TV.
The Italian Bee Gees: Pasquale, Walter and Davide Egiziano will be in Paris for The French TV Show on TF1 on April 17th.
www.coyote.fr and the channel website www.tf1.frwww.fratelliegiziano.it

Italian Bee Gees

Barry Gibb Web Site
Many of you have mailed me recently about problems concerning Barry Gibb.com.

From the time Barry Gibb.com is online only the main page was working, showing news and photos / video material etc. and the chat room button.
You've never been able to log in or register on the front page of the web site or watch any other pages yet.
However since a few days there is more going on.
I've been in contact with the webmaster yesterday and they are working on it and soon the new site is also going to another data centre.
Hopefully problems are solved within a few days.
The site will be back!

Marion / GSI (with thanks: Darin Butler - Kiwiana)

Hi Marion,
Just to let you and all the Bee Gees fans know:
Stayin Alive U.K. to perform in U.S.A
The British Bee Gees tribute band Stayin Alive U.K. are to perform for one night only at the Sheldon Theatre, Red Wing, Minnesota, on May 15th 2010.
The trio, who recently re-recorded 'Stayin Alive' for the forthcoming Bollywood movie 'It's a Wonderful Afterlife' are regarded by many, including Blue Weaver, as being 'The Best'.
Visit the websites for more details
www.stayin-alive.co.ukwww.sheldontheatre.org

Auction of signed Barry Gibb Guitar !!
We earlier mentioned about Jennifer Shannon who had a beautiful signed Barry Gibb guitar which she wanted to sell for her foundation as Jennifer is Fundraising Officer of the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation. (see GSI News February 6th.)
Jennifer proudly wrote us last week:

"I'm delighted to report that Kathy Baker of New Hampshire USA is now the new proud owner of the Barry Gibb signed guitar. Kathy is a real Bee Gees fan and is thrilled at the prospect of owning it.
The guitar should arrive safely with her in a few days.
Many thanks for all your help and support. The guitar has gone to a true fan who has redecorated her living room in order to provide a suitable setting for it! The proceeds of the sale will help provide valuable support for the vulnerable and disabled ex-Servicemen and women that we house. Our sincere gratitude to all who made offers to boost the sale and our commiserations to those who were unsuccessful in their offers.

Best wishes, Jennifer".

Some photos of the guitar, (a Phil Pro) and the authenticity certificate given by Barry's friend Dave English: click here.

Hello!

I really hope you don't mind my asking my question here, since I was unable to figure out how to reach the administration on another Barry Gibb 'board'.
I once belonged to a very warm, fun and caring group of Bee Gee fans, on a different board, until our board leader died from a long and painful fight with cancer.
Since I admittedly was never a part of the 'clique' on this board, I was not one of the members who others emailed and kept in touch with.
In the mean time, I didn't just STOP being a Bee Gees fan.
I love the guys, I love the music, and I miss listening and sharing with other fans, so I have occasionally gone into the "Official Barry Gibb Chat Room" site and tried to just listen and remember.
The last time I was here (last night), I was speaking to one of the 'regular' members, and said something like "Thank the God(s) someone actually finds my sarcastic sense of humor funny."
And the person I was speaking with at the time said, "There is only one God." Well, ok, no biggy, I don't have any issues with anyone elses beliefs as long as they aren't damaging or demeaning or detrimental to another living soul.
I spent the last 1/2 hour being attacked and threatened, all to my pure horror and amazement!

I am stunned to the degree that I am weeping inside.
I was all but told that Barry would NEVER stand for this religious or political upheaval
(I can't help but wonder if I had said "thank GOD" if I would not have been run over by that huge cement truck I never saw coming??)
and if I didn't 'straighten up' I would find out what all of that meant! I guess by being 'kicked' from the board.
I just needed an outlet to say that, I honestly don't believe that Barry would have judged me SO harshly, so immediately, as did these people who stated they have 'known' Barry for years.
I believe Barry, Robin (and Maurice) are gentle souls who don't anger so easily and who are MORE than capable of allowing someone their beliefs, as long as those beliefs center on the beauty of a living soul.
If you don't print this, it is ok. Like I said, I just needed to vent this.
I will be very hurt for a very long time from the 'beating' I took last night, and I accept that I will have to continue to be alone in my appreciation for the Bee Gees.
I honestly believe their might be others out there who may have been abused as I was on Barry's Board, and I DO feel that others should at least know they are not alone.

No matter WHAT... I will NEVER stop loving Barry, Robin, and Mo. No matter what.

Thank you
Trish (lonelurker@sbcglobal.net)

Dear Marion,
I just sent you an e-mail about the Love and Hope Ball 2010.
I sent it for you to publish it in the "Reports" section of your GSI site.
You have my permission to publish it if you think it would be of interest to other fans.
Thanks so much, because if it weren't for this website, I would not have known how to get an invitation to the Ball.
Thanks for everything you do to keep us posted on the Bee Gees comings and goings, especially now! You're awesome!

Thanks again! Carmen M.Lopez of El Paso, Texas

Casting For French TV

My name is Aurélia Couturier.
I am working for a French TV company and currently working on a TV talent show dedicated to families which will be aired prime time live on TF1, the first French channel.
We are trying to gather people performing with members of their family in various artistic categories such as dancers, magicians, singers, circus artists and we would love to have a music band playing The Bee Gees!
I am asking for your help
We are looking for any kind of band forming, 4 or 3 brothers, parents with their children, uncles and cousins or grand parents
We would love to have The Bee Gees represented on our set.
If there are interested fans and families then please take a look at the advertisement of TF1
Click here (Word file).

Feel free to visit our website: www.coyote.fr and the channel website www.tf1.fr
The filming will take place in Paris on April 2010 and all the travel expenses will be covered by our company (train/plane tickets, hotel rooms, meals) and the winners of the evening will win €15 000
(over £13000 - $20000). The show will be aired on the first French channel but also in Switzerland and Belgium.

Vince Melouney

Ex Bee Gee Vince Melouney sings Bee Gees covers in solo show
Vince Melouney's musical career started in a garage in Hornsby and took him to the world stage, performing with Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs and then with the Bee Gees.
Melouney recorded New York Mining Disaster with the Bee Gees, which he said marked the beginning of their UK success.
Many hits followed, including To Love Somebody, Massachusetts and I Started a Joke.
There were TV shows and concerts back to back: "It was an incredible couple of years."
But Melouney said life with the Bee Gees ``just got too crazy'' and when he was offered a contract he didn't like, he quit.
The solo show he's doing at Asquith Bowling Club (just up the road from his old house in Lodge St) on March 27 features a complete set of Bee Gees hits.
"They are still among the five most popular groups in the world ever, "Melouney said, "and everyone loves doing covers of their songs". http://hornsby-advocate.whereilive.com.auhttp://content.asquithbowlingclub.com.au

Hello GSI
My name is Dropjaw Bertone. I am a 27 year old songwriter/musician/recording artist from Gainesville, Florida. I have written a tribute song for Maurice Gibb and a song for Michael Jackson which are both included on my new album "Ten Grande" which was released on December 22, 2009 in honor of Maurice's (and Robin's) birthday.
Maurice's song is called "You Are There" and MJ's song is called "Man On The Moon".
the YouTube video for MJ's song is here: www.youtube.com and I will be adding a video for Maurice's song very soon too.

My cover version of "I Started A Joke" you can find at: www.youtube.com
I have a deep respect for the bee gees, their families, the fans and for everything your website does for the Bee Gees. Thank you very much and let's await the day we can once again buy new Bee Gees albums and tickets for concerts!
Peace and love, Dropjaw Bertone
www.DropjawBertone.com

Hi Marion
I have gone to Miami to see the Gibbs for the past 5 years. I've given you some reports about visiting Barry and Yvonne.
This past year, (Sept. 26th) I was again at Barry's home with a few other friends.
Barry, again, so sweet as he can be!! I noticed on GSI that someone wrote, "it would be nice to see Barry and Robin perform again".
Well, Barry and Mr. Ashby told me then:
Barry and Robin plan to perform this year unless things change. I asked Barry where the tour would start, and he said, "over there, the UK". Things could change for this. (as you well know).
We were "thrilled" to hear this!! Barry said he and Robin were writing songs too. A tour would start around Spring or some later. Other info:
There is a musical production taking place at The Encore hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It'll be about the life of The Bee Gees.
The performers have been picked to play each Bee Gee, and it was said by Mr. Ashby, it could be ready to start by Spring.
(it now seems to be planned for first half next year!). I'm planning to go and see that production or see Barry and Robin perform hopefully in the USA.
It was not discussed any places they would perform. I guess they are getting their heads together on this sometime soon, and that's at the moment still too early to tell.

Take care, Gail M.

Gail with Barry

Barry in Chile?!
Since yesterday, January 11th. fans write me about publications telling that Barry will be performing in Chile next month (Vina Del Mar 2010).

However after checking this I was told: this is not true.http://enelshow.com
When more details become available about performances of The Brothers we'll let you know.

Marion:
I have been following the Bee Gees since high school in Gainesville, Florida and I still remember their Main Course album and all their great songs.
Needless to say I have been a fan ever since. I am a novelist and when I wrote The Oasis Project, a detective murder mystery, my hero had to be a Bee Gees fan.
In my second work, Power Grid, my hero is rescued when his friends come to his aid playing Stayin Alive!
Thanks for the website!
Art Adkins, (Award Winning & Best Selling Author of The Oasis Project)

American Academy Awards for The Bee Gees
I'd like to encourage all fans to solicit the American Academy Awards officials to recognize in some fashion the achievements of the Bee Gees!
They are always giving out special awards for people have not even done as much as they have.
They opened the door for all of the musical artists who followed them, and they never even received a nomination for the songs in Saturday Night Fever.
It is deplorable.

My frustration is that their last (most recent) CD's were absolutely wonderful and overlooked. If you listen to songs like Haunted House, I Surrender, ESP, and others, the Bee Gees continued to make wonderful music that was overlooked. That is very sad; people don't know what they have missed.
I keep wondering what could be one to correct this. Maybe Ultimate and Mythology will contribute to this effort.

It would be lovely to see Barry and Robin get an opportunity to write some songs for another motion picture, who knows what will happen in the future.

They absolutely deserve some recognition from the Academy Awards.
Please mail me if you think the same, or give your comments and help me to get The Bee Gees an Academy Award.

A while back we've asked what you'd think of the idea to see Barry and Robin live on stage again with the old band members: Alan Kendall, Blue Weaver and Dennis Bryon.

Specially the older fans wrote us back telling:
it would bring good old memories back and they'd love it.

I wonder if they will ever do huge concerts again with a complete band, but if they decide to do it: then please ask the old gang!.... Michael P.

Yes, great idea. I cannot wait to see them all back on stage again .... Ann M.

Very good idea, specially Alan who has been with the guys for as long as I can remember.
I also think it will be an extra support for Barry and Robin to have them backing them on stage since they have to sing now without Mo and Alan,
Blue and Dennis know most of the Gibb compositions already. I hope to see them once again somewhere in Europe!.... Erna S.

Hello,
The BeeGees music will always be the songbook to all our lives.
The Brothers Gibb are fantastic songwriters and performers, and their music will live on forever.
Maurice ( Mo) was our dear friend way back in 1968 and with his then wife Lulu helped us get signed to Atlantic Records with our debut album "Cartoone".
We will always remember Mo, he was such a lovely guy to be around, and helped us create our sound, which was very similar to the early BeeGees.
In honour to Mo and Lulu, Friday Music have remastered our long lost album Cartoone Deluxe Edition and released it once again on CD.
So pleased to see Robin and Barry onstage once again performing together.

Fans enjoyed seeing Barry and Robin together on stage again in the UK and doing an interview together on TV in North America

Some first comments:

-----I was about five metres away from the brothers during their performance at "Strictly Come Dancing".
They actually filmed their singing about thirty minutes before the show.
When they appeared to have been introduced by Bruce, they weren't actually there! It was quite funny and surreal. They were actually introduced by the guy whose job was to warm up the audience with jokes etc...
They were standing on the stage for about two or three minutes before they started to sing. This was something I'd never seen before (I mean at concerts they walk on while the music has already started and on TV interviews they're active before they sing). So what I noticed especially was the immense concentration on their faces before the song started. They weren't laughing to any of the jokes. In fact, Barry was
almost muttering to himself as if to psyche himself up. They seemed to enjoy the performance. The band they used were excellent. It was their musicians not the same ones as for the dancing (who were also brilliant). So I guess these guys will be accompanying them for more promotional work.
How did they sound? Well they were definitely not miming. I can't believe that anyone would have suggested they were. I thought the performance was on a par with the opening of One Night Only. So, not as good as their Wembley show but pretty good considering no Maurice and that this was twelve years on.
I actually had a great night. I was sat right at the front bang opposite the stage, with the main cameras behind my head! (Robin S.).

----- Hello Gibb Brothers, I just saw your interview on CBS, it aired this morning on Canadian television. I was deeply touched. I'm glad to hear you will be writing and singing again. This world needs beautiful, loving music that only can be written by the few.
you, and your brother are 2 of the few that remain, who can heal life's pain with your lyrics and music. Glad to hear you're back on the job!!

---- This is a happy time seeing them on stage side by side again, please give us more.

-----I just saw the interview on CBS Sunday Morning and was so enthused that the brothers are back and writing new material. True artists; very, very unique talents

-----To Barry and Robin,
Seeing you both on The Morning Show today brought back memories of Brisbane 1962 and seeing you all perform on the afternoon dance show of Channel 9 (up on Mt. Cootha). What a great day that was for my friend Gayle and myself. Looking back it was clear even then you would be stars. I've enjoyed your great success ever since and am looking forward to the 50th Anniversary album.

----- Constantly wonder what is next for them. I sincerely believe that they are the best ever. I know people talk and rave about the Beatles talent; however, I really feel the Bee Gees are better. I feel that they have more creativity in them and should go on. I am a fan forever.

Fan Interview
Laura T. 'On Sept 1 I was interviewed by Tim Roxorough. (New Zealand Radio).
He called me in the USA. The radio program was looking for stories about fans meeting The Bee Gees.
You can hear my conversation with the radio station'. Click here to listen.

Bee Gees Bar
From Japan we received this message:
As part of the campaign for "Ultimate," a cafe in downtown Tokyo will turn
into a "Bee Gees bar" October 30th through November 15th.
The cafe is "Rock Around the Clock" located in the prestigious New
Marunouchi Bldg. in Marunouchi, one of Tokyo's finest and busiest business
and shopping areas, and only a minute's walk from Tokyo Station. During the
above promo period, the cafe will feature Bee Gees music extensively and
put up special displays. www.hotpepper.jp.

Dear fans
GSI is wondering what you think of the idea if Robin and Barry,( if and when they decide to do some live performances), would ask Alan, Blue and Dennis again to join them ?!
What would you think of the idea?
Please let me know at: marion@brothersgibb.org , subject: Bee Gees Band.
I'm just wondering and like to hear your thoughts and I guess Alan, Blue and Dennis would like it too.

Marion / GSI

Alan Kendall - Dennis Bryon - Blue Weaver

Hello Marion,
I'm pleased to tell you that the biggest Barry Gibb fan (me) just cracked the Australian Pop charts. My single "Like The River" Live At Sydney Opera House debut at Number 3.
It would be great if you let the folks know through your website what - going to 'Barry Gibb school of music' - can do for upcoming musicians!!!!
See the charts here:
www.ariacharts.com.au

Love and thanks for always supporting me.

Mahmood Khan

Some fan questions answered again:

QUESTION
What is the status of rebuilding something on the property where once the Johnny Cash's house was standing?Barry and Linda are now looking to find someone as they want to see the house rebuilt to it's original design.

QUESTION
Any news on the Bee Gees Stayin' Alive musical in Las Vegas?The latest news is that the show won't open until sometime next year.
(www.theatermania.com)

This Is Daniel Roos
A new Dutch talent who has just released his debut album earlier this year.
His first official album is called: A New Time and ex Bee Gee Vince Melouney was one of the artists who cooperated on this project with Daniel.

Daniel Roos

Daniel Roos was born and raised in Gorinchem, the Netherlands. His love for music has been great since he was just a little boy.
Coming from a family full of artists - like singers, pianists, writers and painters - it's not too strange that Daniel wanted to dedicate his life to music.
As a little boy Daniel used to listen to cassettes that he got from his father. Most of this music was from the 60's and 70's.
You can hear in Daniel's music that this has been a great influence to his song writing. Inspired by his late uncle Ad Roos, Daniel started to sing and play keys at the age of ten.
It was the same uncle who inspired him to write his own songs. It got a little out of hand when he decided to really follow his uncle's footsteps and try to make it as a musician.
More info:www.danielroos.comhttp://daniel-roos.hyves.nlwww.myspace.com/danielroosmusicwww.ilike.com/artist/Daniel+Rooswww.last.fm/music/Daniel+Rooswww.youtube.com/danielroosmusic

Vince Melouney

Daniel:
'I know Vince for about 4 years.
We regularly email each other. Unfortunately we've never met yet because he hasn't been in Europe lately and I haven't been to Australia in these 4 years.
Four years ago Vince became 60 and GSI had mentioned this on the website. I'm a Bee Gees fan myself since I was 7 and so I was raised with the group.
I have about all their music on CD, including bootlegs and demo material and The Bee Gees have inspired me to do what I'm doing now being a singer / pianist / song writer.
When I read the article on GSI about Vince I mailed him.
I didn't expect him to get back to me and therefore I didn't mention at that time about my career but only that I was musician as well and I wrote him about the fact that I started listening to The Bee Gees at the age of 7 which was the double LP of my father which I had on a cassette tape; The Best Of, Vol. 1 & 2.
At the time I first mailed Vince I was just 18 and already 11 years fan of The Bee Gees and so I thought it would be nice for Vince to receive congratulations from a young Dutch fan.
He appreciated this very much and was very interested in my music although I hadn't told him anything about that yet.

He mailed me back very shortly after I'd send him my first mail and asked me what kind of music I composed etc.
A couple of mails later I sent him my CD. I made already 3 CD's the past 4 years which I released on my own.
We stayed in regular contact and also I kept him updated about my musical career and sent him all my CD's.
So he knows I worked very hard. And when I, one year ago, got a chance to record and release my first official CD, my debut CD, Vince was very enthusiastic to cooperate on this project of mine.
Due to his busy schedule Vince could only play on two of the songs. This became our first cooperation but there might come a next time. Vince worked together on the tracks:
"Karma Song" en "Worried (I'm Alright)". He played his parts in Australia and sent them to me so I could mix them here to complete the songs.
It was a special way of working but with a very good result.
My first official CD was recorded with live instruments and of course with this very special help and cooperation of Vince Melouney as well as Joseph Bowie and the back ground vocals from L.A. recorded by Jim Gilstrap and Sherlie Matthews (the last one by the way also did back ground vocals on Stayin' Alive of The Bee Gees).

Vince loves to come to Europe once again to tour and also visit The Netherlands.
Unfortunately I have never met The Bee Gees myself. I would go and see them with my dad but then Maurice died.
I however did see one of the shows of Robin in Germany that was a great experience and I also hope once to get a chance to see Barry live as well.
Especially Barry has been a great inspiration for me, the way he sings and writes.
My uncle, like mentioned in my biography, has been a great influence in my career as well. He died 6 years ago but he'd given me a floppy for my keyboard on which he'd recorded the music of I Started A Joke.
This was one of my fave songs and I loved to sing along with recorded music of my uncle. I covered more songs on cassette but seldom play any cover material.
However the only song I still perform almost during each show is To Love Somebody as a tribute to The Bee Gees as the boys have been a huge example for me.
Unfortunately there are no recordings yet of me singing this cover song'.